A real Armani polo shirt might cost 1,400 yuan ($190) if bought from the fashion house’s shop on JD.com, one of China’s biggest e-commerce platforms. But search for “Armani manufacturer” on the same app and similar shirts can be found for just 60 yuan. The cheaper offerings seem to have been made by Armani suppliers and sold directly to local consumers without the brand’s mark-ups—a steal for Chinese shoppers, if true.
