China’s fake-fashion retailers thrive on TikTok, Reddit and Discord

Christmas came early last year for Brandon Lee King, a youthful online influencer who lives near Birmingham, England. An eagerly awaited shipment of luxury goods arrived just in time for the festive season, and like many of his peers, he was keen to show off his haul.

In a video posted to his TikTok channel and viewed by nearly 2 million people, King unwrapped £2,000 (​​$2,488) worth of seemingly high-end Nike shoes, new in their boxes. There were also what appeared to be a £2,500 Goyard messenger bag, a rare Dior T-shirt (£600), a retro Manchester City FC jersey, a pair of Palm Angels sweatpants and an £875 Kaws Companion figurine.