Fakes featuring the signature check print of luxury goods maker Burberry have hit the Hong Kong market after a recent boom in the brand's popularity, lawyers for the company said yesterday.
Private investigators hired to scour markets, small shops and department stores have uncovered rolls of fake Burberry fabric and thousands of items of clothing and accessories.
John Slater, a partner at Simmons & Simmons law firm, which represents Burberry, said items collected during a year-long campaign to stamp out the fakes would be destroyed within two weeks.
'If you walk down the street today you'll see the Burberry check on umbrellas or shirts which are obviously not from Burberry - the quality simply isn't there,' he said.
'Following the resurgence of the Burberry label, it's really become a hot item over the past two to three years and there's been an increase in the number of fakes on the market.'
Mr Slater said the cheapest and poorest-quality copies were of less concern than those made to a reasonable standard and sold from reputable outlets.
