Within weeks, Pirouette Skort copies — mesh ruffles, drawstring waistband, pastel colors and all — had flooded the web. Now dupes have spread to just about every industry imaginable, and they aren’t just comparisons created by shoppers; Roberts notes that brands and retailers have called their products “dupes” as a promotional tactic. The Pirouette Skort dupes don’t claim to be Popflex products, and they don’t include the Popflex name, logo, or branding, making a trademark claim moot. “Without it, it was almost like they wouldn’t even listen to you.”The Pirouette Skort copycats are enticing. Nevertheless, the skort does appear to be quite similar to Popflex’s Pirouette Skort — the X by Gottex item was marketed as the Tutu Skort.)