Topshop ripoff they have copied our brooch design
One of our (super lovely) customers bought to our attention that Topshop have RIPPED OFF our design. Can you believe it? I’ve even blogged about Topshop before and how they copy other indie designers before but this time they have blatantly copied our ORIGINAL design. I knew there was a reason it just felt wrong to have the “new” and “exciting” Topshop opening in Sydney. What a load of shit – that shop is like a disease on our city (and country). Incu should be ashamed to stock such JUNK in their store! They haven’t even tried to change the design!. We work our ass off (literally) to produce our own designs from drawing them, cutting them, gluing them, packaging them, sending them out and trying to make them as original as we can – they just take it and mass produce it (which is one thing we never wanted to do).
Topshop we HATE you!
Here is our original (and original drawing too)
And here is their copy – I think they have even just used the “auto trace” in illustrator…
heather says:
Send it to youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com – name and shame :)
lovelittle says:
I cant believe this, and they didnt even take the time to trace it, they used auto trace. Thats awful! Indie designers beware!
Joanna says:
http://www.dacs.org.uk/index.php?m=15
I would contact DACS Design and Artists Copyright Society, above, in London as I think you’ll find that Top Shop have infringed your copyright. They have tried to change the design so it looks different but it isnt different enough and is obviously your design.
DACS might be able to advise you on what to do. There is another organisation that advertises in the Artists Newsletter who actively get money from companies who use your work without your permission, you might ring AN to find their name as I cant remember it, or ask DACS, again they might know.
But definitely dont let Topshop off -
James says:
You can Tweet @Topshop_tweets and ask them to explain themselves, perhaps?
ruthy says:
i don’t know if you noticed but they also totally ripped off your broken heart necklace. it’s really annoyingly not on their website any more; i was really close to buying it then saw your website and realised it was a copy.
Christine says:
Maybe they thought because they are Topshop, they are THAT BIG and no one would believe that Topshop would copy from other small designers (like why would they?!) so yeah they just copied.
Anyway I think you should try to take legal action! (:
Christine says:
Anyway I can’t believe they would do such a horrible thing. A little dissapointed in Topshop now! Used to be one of my favourite brands. ):
Decogirl says:
A couple of years ago Topshop had an owl pendant which was a rip off of a Lea Stein design so it’s happened before. I agree with the previous comment, they’re probably not aware of it. Much of their jewellery is sourced in China – there’s a massive costume jewellery expo in Beijing that most high street giants go to.
Pea says:
It’s funny because you copied Topshop’s loveheart favicon just incase you didn’t notice. Topshop uses a pink heart while you’ve chosen a red one exactly the same as theirs – so I wouldn’t be too harsh if i was you.
lyndsay says:
Hi Pea – the love heart is from our logo AND ITS A LOVE HEART – thanks for your comment.
Anika says:
I’m pretty sure hearts are not copywritable. It’s also not exactly the same. Feel free to post copies of the appropriate legislation if I’m wrong, of course.
lyndsay says:
No they are not copyrightable – that’s what i mean its a heart!! I don’t care about the favicon, or even the broken heart necklace (that could be a genuine mistake but probably not) Thanks for all your support everyone I spoke to them last night and will be putting up my findings in a new blog post.
Anika says:
And MBW, you’re entitled to costs from this incredibly blatant copyright infringement. The Arts Law Centre of Australia can give legal advice for artists for little or no cost, or give you a referral to someone else.
http://www.artslaw.com.au/LegalServices/
lyndsay says:
They are closed for Christmas! dam. hopefully I can talk to them in 2 days – fingers crossed! thanks
Fiona says:
I know you guys are in Sydney, but in Vic we have a lawyer referral service:
http://www.liv.asn.au
which might be a good launching pad to find a lawyer. I’ve used it for other purposes, but it was really helpful.
Good luck guys, your fans will support you all the way and I know I’ll be calling for a boycott of Topshop on both my Facebook and etsy pages.
Virginia says:
This is awful! I hope you have some sort of legal recourse. I’m so sorry this has happened to you all. Bleh.
Tweeting this now.
Angie says:
I bought this badge from you and you should ABSOLUTELY do something about this. Topshop have done this with other designs before, don’t let them get away with it.
Liesa says:
This is not acceptable…I love how people think that it is ok to copy..WELL GUESS WHAT…IT IS NOT OK AND WE WONT STAND FOR IT…Good on you for putting it out there…
Alycia says:
What a bummer! SO not cool. I hope they get in serious trouble for that. :(
Allison says:
Sigh. No way. We’re all behind you Lyndsay.
Paul says:
Hi Lyndsay
What a rip-off! Outrageous! Sue the bastards!
Happy Harris says:
Hello there..sorry i am a little late on this, but I found your lovely website and then being a blogger myself…I just had to click on the blog link….your designs ROCK!
Years ago when I had a boutique, I used to deal with DCK Concessions, I used to get alot of sample jewelery from them and I also had a friend that used to work there, the designers call themselves designers! but we always used to laugh at that, because all they used to do was fly out to Japan and look at the wonderful designs out there, bring them back and copy them! I am talking about 5 years ago now! so looks like things havnt changed much…they are now looking closer to home…probably because of the recesssion and the fact they still have NO talent!
Hold your head high hun, I sooo know how infuriating it is…if you have a good idea, there will always be someone out there to copy it…someone with not half the talent as you.
My Old Nan always used to say…Imitation was the sincerest form of flattery! I reapeat that to myself a hell of alot!LOL! Damn it!:))))
But the thing is, this for you is on a grand scale…they should of come to you and you should of got the royalties…I dont know what to suggest other than…perhaps bring it up with Watchdog? they love naming and shaming Big Brands on TV…
Love your site gals…do you mind if I do a blog about you on mine?
Love Happy xx
lyndsay says:
How great is your blog!! Would love to be included :) You might want to include this case too – that’s just been bought to my attention http://www.ladyluckrulesok.com/journal/2010/01/asos_have_rippe.php
Happy Harris says:
OoOoPs sorry just read about the love heart thingy (above) – I have one of those too! Eek! so we are in the same boat honey! :) They say great minds think alike ;)
Anyway…I will add though, it probably isnt anything to do with Topshop, they dont do the designing, just the choosing of collections etc…the real culpritts are DCK someone has looked online and seen your design and thought Ill copy that and make it my idea!
..and after looking at that link you gave me (dont quote me!) but I am sure they design jewellery for ASOS too!!!!
So someone should be getting the sack in DCK!!
thanks for poppping over to me Lyndsay….Ill be blogging about you all over here very soon, you are sooooo from my clan with all your bright colours :)
Love Happy xx
lexi says:
I hope you do follow up on this because it’s disgraceful and a blatant copy. How infuriating. More power to you.
gemmagsmells says:
I second what Lexi and others have said. I hope you follow this up because it is disgraceful. I will retweet so the more people that know the better.
Gabby says:
that is disgusting!
especially considering how much time you guys take to handmake them too…and it’s pretty much your signature design.
Hope they rot.
psychic web says:
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RT says:
I don’t think much to TS’s autotrace tool.
They should get the IT Dept and Adobe to have a look at that.
No Seriously, thats a shocking piece of poor form.
I used to work for one of the big ”fashion” companies on the high street, the Swedish one. This sort of thing goes on all the time, just they like to hide it and paper over the cracks.
I actually stumbled across this today, as I’m researching copyright issues within fashion design. As I will be giving a lecture tomorow at Stockholm Univ, and would be pleased if I could use your site images as a ref.
Thanks!
Cassie says:
Looks like even the Guardian in the UK have had enough of Topshop. We don’t need their rubbish polluting our shores!
Cassie
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/02/topshop-high-street-fashion
Alison says:
Oh this is really shocking!!!
Have come over from Twitter where the Paperchase topic is raging!!!
These ‘big’ companies should really be ashamed of themselves!
Love
Alison
x
Tara says:
thought you might want to see a similar case that is happening to this lady http://hidenseek.typepad.com/come_out_come_out/2010/02/cannot-chase-paperchase.html the thing has gone huge on Twitter i did put up your issue too.Hope it helps.
Sian says:
Have you thought of joining ACID (Anti Copying in Design) at http://www.acid.uk.com
It is not very expensive at all.
They are very good at dealing with design copying and follow up.
You can use their logo on anything you print which ‘warns’ people.
Esther says:
Seems they have sold out, or could it be removed from their site.
Shame on them.
Simon says:
Hi there,
this is Simon MacEwan from lost in the woods, topshop/DCK concessions did exactly the same thing with my work last year. I went to London followed it up with an IP lawyer, I am happy to pass on all the information from my somewhat expensive and unrewarding experience, if you feel it would help you decide what to do. just send me an email.
Cheers
Simon
Bridget says:
These cases are terrible, really shocking. It seems it’s the design companies rather than the retail companies, but still, they should make clearer demands. I wonder if you could get Kate Moss onto this? that would work well!
amanda says:
aw that’s so mean! I hate it when those big companies swipe ideas from the real creatives. But isn’t that the only way they can keep up? Urban Outfitters, TopShop, H&M, etc. etc.
Just remember YOU ARE ONE STEP AHEAD.
So there!
Alan says:
I feel for you. It is all the time out of your day/week/month/s dealing with this that must hurt as well.
From a consumer’s point of view I recently bought a leather note book from a stationery store in Leura in the Blue Mountains. It has a refill in it that is branded with an American company’s details. When I had a problem with the item I tried to take it to a retailer in Sydney that sold the American brand, (being unable to get back to the mountains), only to be told that it was a local rip-off. An attempt to get satisfaction from the original sellers via telephone was unsuccessful, as “they do not offer refunds”.
This type of copyright infringement affects everyone and it is in everybody’s interests to fight this. The designer loses income and credibility and the consumer gets shoddy goods. (I paid more for my rip-off than the price of the orignal American design, by the way).
I will be alerting the American designers about this issue as a result of reading this blog. I had not been sure what to do before. Following these things up is time consuming and annoying but hopefully we will all get satisfaction in the end!
eleanor says:
Right, i’m off to send Top Shop an email on your behalf saying I won’t shop in their sydney shop and will tell my friends not to until they can implement better quality control and ensure they’re not plagarising other people’s work. Humpf!
Indi says:
This is so wrong!! I hate it how big businesses think they can just walk all over the little guy whenever they want… it’s not like they can’t afford to pay designers to come up with something original!! GRRRRRR!
mia says:
Girls, i only just saw this – I am TOTALLY F**KING OUTRAGED! i am so angry, i HATE HATE HATE them so bad. its bad eneough that some massive company would do this but at some point an indivdual had to execute the initial stages of copying your stuff – i wonder if they felt bad and did it anyway or just didn’t care?
xxxMia
Nicola Callow says:
Rip offs! So blatant about it too..
Really hope it gets sorted for you
Nic x
jd says:
hey there – only found this now. Most Topshop jewellery is made (and sold under) the brand name ‘Freedom’, sometimes ‘Freedom for Topshop’ if it’s more expensive pieces. The jewellery as far as I know is not in-house designs. Freedom are the company you would need to go after or at least contact. I am pretty sure they must do stuff for other high-street brands, I have seen stuff in Topshop and then weeks, months, even years after the EXACT same piece, no different, in River Island, asos etc. Or, as another commenter noted they are picked up in China etc. and sold on.
That really sucks that this happened to you. I have read lots of articles lately on small designers being pushed out by big brands and having basically no recourse, it being too expensive and difficult to prove. From what I recall the jewellery designer Wendy Brandes had a piece on her blog, and there were various articles in the New York Times, WSJ etc. I hope things work out for you and good luck.
jd says:
sorry honey i just read your later post now and realised you went on to find out it’s Freedom – duh! Don’t let them get away with it – Miss Selfridge stocks Diva jewellery so keep your eye out :)