Why are five high street stores selling the exact same dress?

The high street imitates the catwalk. We already know that. But can the high street copy itself?

Apparently so if this new season midi dress is anything to go by. The sheer floral style has popped up in five separate high street stories including H&M, ASOS and John Lewis.

Each design is slightly different with alternative sleeves, lengths and necklines. The fabric, however, is the exact same.

H&M’s long-sleeved style is the cheapest of the bunch at £69.99. Unfortunately, it’s now sold out but not to worry as you have plenty more options to choose from.

At £120, ASOS’ is a slightly longer version and comes with a pink lining. StyleWe.com has an extremely wedding-appropriate look that currently has 10% off, selling for just under £100.

Meanwhile, plus-size retailer Elvi is selling a more whimsical short-sleeved design costing £75.

If you’re still not feeling any of the above, then John Lewis has a V-neck style retailing for a slightly pricier £184. The nude shade is currently sold out but there’s a black version if you’re in the mood for a darkly romantic vibe.

So how did this happen? Elvi’s brand director, Jess Archer, thinks she has the answer. “When our head designer was researching trends from the spring summer catwalks, floral embroidery was shown at many of the top shows. We went abroad and sourced the fabric that we thought would be perfect for a pretty summer dress, as many other brands obviously did too!” she told the Daily Mail.

“If there is a big key trend that is seen on the catwalk, often it is filtered down to the high street where similar designs can often appear.”

There you have it. Stay tuned for more copycat looks.

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