The first time I heard the word "dupes" was in Nepal, where my local friends used it to refer to all the "North Fake" and "Pataphonia" mountaineering gear in the Thamel tourist shops. Kinda weird to see that the term has made its way into American slang.
@GuerillaOntologist I've always used the dictionary definition of dupe, 'one who is easily deceived'(unknown origin; from 1913 Webster).
I wonder if the author was duped into thinking the fashion industry invented the word, or of she intentionally omitted the history.
"Peak Dupe" indeed. :-D
@lwriemen
I hadn't thought of that. But now that I do, there's also the verb form, i.e. to do the decieving, as in "duping someone." I wonder what the etymology is of that type of "dupe," and if there is any more-than-just-coincidental connection between the different senses of the word.
Strange language we have when, "Dupes can be duped into buying dupes." is a meaningful sententce.
@lwriemen @GuerillaOntologist I think "dupe" in the fashion sense is short for "duplicate"?