The term knock off is used very loosely and it really gets kind of irritating. If you go to O.K., Knockoffs, This Is War, you’ll see two green bags off to the left. It’s an article about knock-offs (a continuation of this). You’ll note one bag is less expensive than the other but that doesn’t mean it’s a knock off of the more expensive bag. Other than similar fabrication, they look totally different. Completely different patterns. This is not a knock off, how many people use the same fabrications? And don’t think this patterned leather is unique, not by a long shot. I have about 20 sq ft of this exact same leather in fire engine red -a grain embossed calf- that I bought over 6 years ago. I’ve never known what to make out of this leather. The bags give me an idea. I hadn’t thought of making a bag. I like the shaping of the more expensive bag so maybe I’ll “knock it off”. Just for my personal use of course.
At the most fundamental level, copying the shape (pattern) of the bag is what constitutes a knock off. Fabrication doesn’t matter and everybody confuses the difference. If you used another fabrication but copied the pattern, it’d be a knock off. It doesn’t matter whether the copy looks like the original. Fabrication copying is a separate issue entirely.
And regarding the topic of the article -proposed design protection legislation- and the political party responsible for introducing the bill to Congress, Mimi tweaks Bill :)
This is a great opportunity for DEs! The big time designers will be spending all their time defending their products they won’t be creating anything new, thus the knock off companies won’t have anything to manufacture and suddenly the small creative manufacturer will rule the day.
It is laughable that Ms. Von Furstenburg is still trying to take credit for a wrap dress that was hugely successful in the 1980’s as it was during the Roman Empire. Get your fiddles ready.
the small creative manufacturer will rule the day.
I firmly believe that the only thing currently stopping small creative DEs from ruling is that there is something fundamental not being respected– about the market, about the consumer, about the business strategy.
The idea that small DEs would rule is made under the premise that if the world were exposed to the DE’s products as equally as the “big timers” (if DE’s got equal mindshare and exposure), consumers would choose the DE’s products. But what if they still wouldn’t?
But what if they still wouldn’t?
That’s a really good point Miracle, one I try to drive home everyday. The reality is, many people won’t select DE products due to -usually- the level of quality when compared to price. The reality remains that many DE products are haphazardly constructed (and haphazardly delivered) and consumers aren’t going to pay higher price points that what they’re already paying for existing (consistently produced) products in the market. If you want a premium price, you have to produce premium goods. Saying you do doesn’t cut it.
Providing a remedy to the above is the entire purpose of this blog.