Call it what you want - it ain't real.
I've gotten two emails in the past two weeks alerting me to copies of our Signature invitation suite. I can understand taking the concept and making it your own - I'm not the first one to hand letter an invitation - but in one instance, the names on the invitation were exactly the same - that is, until I emailed him to tell him how oddly coincidental it was, especially when I had made up the names for our sample in the first place. In the other situation - it was a letterpress company in Brooklyn who has actually printed the invitation - thereby taking business away from us right under our noses.
When I first started L&H, I used a copyright-free design and didn't think twice about it until I saw it on a votive candle holder at Target. I felt so lame. And even though the design was free for the taking - it still felt wholly unoriginal to see it somewhere else and I no longer use it because of that. But taking someone else's design & basically just inserting your own text doesn't make it your own or okay.
So a little heads up to you "designers" out there: the wedding blog & letterpress printing circles are smaller than you think. We're all looking out for each other. Like a crack down on Canal.
7 comments:
That's a real bummer, Liz. I am sorry about your target incident. Some people suck.
we are definitely all looking out for one another. some people really do stink!
good advice indeed.
That is so upsetting! I know I see copycats at the trade shows all the time, but this takes it to a new low. I hope those two cheats are going to stop making your lovely design.
I'm so glad you're not afraid to say that, Liz! Even though I'm a guy and would not carry a purse, that underground market for designer rip-offs always manages me tick me right off. It's really obvious if someone is wearing crap clothes and carrying a "Louee Vweeeton" handbag. Do they really think they're fooling anybody? People from college used to brag about going to New York on breaks and finding Coach bags and all that stuff, but I always told them (deans included) how stupid that was. I didn't realize that it extended so blatantly into other areas of design, but I guess it's almost moot to suggest that you should feel flattered. I guess people figure if it's good enough to buy, it's good enough to steal. And you make some awfully good stuff. :)
copycats suck big time...very upsetting how they take your original design (which you spend lots of thought and time on) and just knock it off.
good for you liz to mention it here and stand up to them!
Well said.
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