A WOMAN was left raging after finding a budget version of the designer coat she spent £400 on.
Ellie Smith, from the UK, took to social media to show the designer version and side by side.
Ellie Smith was stunned when she walked into M&S to see a dupe of the designer coat she was wearingCredit: tiktok/@ellieevelynsmith
The M&S coat cost £325 less than the designer versionCredit: tiktok/@ellieevelynsmith
In the video, Ellie said: “I’ve just walked into M&S and look what I’ve just found. You’re not gonna believe it.”
“I bought this coat online. It was on a wait list, it was like £400, it was from America, it took time, and then I got coffee on it. Yeah, it’s a bit of a nightmare, I do love it.”
But as she walked into she noticed they had an almost identical version.
Ellie wore a beige from Helsa with fur-trimmed sleeves that cinched in at the waist.
While the coat was gorgeous, she was shocked to see an almost identical version in the British retailer’s store.
“£75, it’s basically the exact same,” she added.
The Pure Cotton Canvas Padded Barn Jacket by M&S has the exact same fit as the designer version but costs £325 less.
Instead of fur-trimmed sleeves and collar, it comes with a black leather collar and tartan sleeves that can be turned up.
M&S bosses write: “With light padding, this pure-cotton barn jacket works well for cooler . Relaxed fit for easy layering.
“It fastens via a zip and popper fastening, and you can tighten it further using the drawstring waist.
“The faux leather collar and elegant checked lining add traditional touches, while the two poppered front pockets are handy for your wallet and phone.”
It’s currently sold online and in stores, but you’ll have to be quick as some sizes have already sold out.
“That’s why I love M&S so much, because they know what they’re doing,” she added.
The video went viral on her TikTok account @ ellieevelynsmith with over 250k views and 5,700 likes and people were quick to share their thoughts in the comments.
One person wrote: “I saw this jacket the other day in M&S and it looks so nice I think I’ll buy it.”
Another commented: “I know where I’m going today!”
Why you should always buy a dupe over designer...
says it’s time fashion snobs stopped looking down their noses at affordable versions of designer buys.
Bargain US supermarket became a social media sensation when its £60 dupe of Hermès’ Birkin bag, dubbed the Wirkin, went viral.
Influencer @styledbykristi gushed: “Eighty dollars (£60), you can pretend that you got a Birkin. I mean, everyone will probably know it’s not, because who the hell has the to spend on the real Birkin? Not me.”
Me neither. And why bother? I would never spend that on a designer bag (although if someone wants to buy one for me, that’s a different story).
Plus, if I splashed that much, I’d feel I was being ripped off…
We’ve all been told how the leading brands use the finest leather, thread, dyes and craftsmanship in the world.
But all that is inflated by fashion houses to create the desired illusion of exclusivity.
Just last year, Dior came under for paying £44 to assemble a bag that sells for £2,000.
So while you might think you are paying for top-level craftsmanship carried out by a true artisan, chances are the poorly paid workers are not seeing any of your hard-earned cash.
— not to be mistaken for knock-offs that copy everything from the logo to the inside label — are a more practical and all-round sensible way to go.
I bought my first when I was 18. It lasted me four years and only broke after I wore it in the shower.
And these days, British high streets have plenty of dupes. In the past three years, , and Mango have all seen huge spikes in sales thanks to their canny copies. They use the same viral, must-have marketing tactics that pricey brands have.
Fashion folk will tell you that you are making an investment and buying a “heritage piece” and will turn their noses up at a high street equivalent. But we’ve been wearing looks inspired by catwalk designers for decades.
If we can buy a bag that’s the spitting image of the pricier version, but doesn’t mean you have to remortgage, why not?
“Influenced,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “I’ve got this, it’s fab!”
“M&S are bang on this season,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “M&S knows!”
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Eze Chidiebere Paul
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