Monday, December 6, 2010

Costuming Business Ethics 101

Ok I already posted this on Damsel's facebook but I decided to rant about it a little on my own blog. I know that total originality is extremely hard and that most things start from a basic concept and evolve. Creative property can be a little hard to track and that inspiration comes from many sources.

That being said this is a blatant theft that annoys me to the  very core. I know I don't really have readership yet to bother complaining to but really I don't care. I take a lot of care in designing and working out prototypes of my designs while I am still teaching myself the fine art of sewing. (Although books like this are a great help)
Salem Libraries Rock!
When I do finally get my own store up and begin sharing these designs and products I know it would absolutely make me furious to see one of my own designs being so flagrantly copied as what I am about to show you.

I am a huge fan of Damsel in this Dress bodices. I have tried on some of Michelle's pieces and if I'm lucky there is one waiting for me this Christmas. Her designs are elegant and flattering and I understand why someone might want to emulate them. Like I said they are awesome. But I don't want to sell copies of her bodices I just want to make ones of a similar caliber in my own design and aesthetic. I just want to be as awesome as she is with my own designs.

So on to the thief. It is poorly rendered so it may take a moment to realize that this

Photo belongs to http://twospools.com even if they stole the design
 Really wants to be this
Photo belongs to Damsel in this Dress http://damseldress.com
The worst part? The badly made copy costs only $25 less than Michelle's original design. The person orchestrating this theft can't even flatter a mannequin with this piece let alone a woman and expects to get $125 for it!

Why am I ranting about this so much? It bothers me, it bothers me a lot that someone might actually buy something that flimsy and cheap for such a ridiculous price. Why? Doesn't that mean that I should be able to make a ton of money when I get there. Well honestly it scares me because I'm afraid it means that people don't know enough about clothing to recognize quality when they see it and maybe I am wasting my time trying to learn the proper way to do things and working out the best methods to provide quality when I could just churn out something like that and sell it for $100.

Readers (hey someday there will be some) please please please, say no to bad quality ripoffs and reveal them where you see them. This is no way to run a business and honestly it's just no way to live.


2 comments:

  1. I agree, people should really only pay for quality especially when there are many seamstresses working hard to provide it. The trouble is, if you aren't a seamstress it becomes harder to discern the quality of workmanship at first glance and buying through the Internet makes it all the harder... That's where item descriptions come in handy but even then a seller could know how to oversell a product.
    While I do appreciate your enthusiasm for originality, I gotta say I wouldn't look at the top photo and think it was a cheap copy of the bottom one, even side by side. I do agree with you that the price difference is not comparable to the quality difference. The bottom one looks damn sexy on that lady ;) the first seller could stand to improve their photography and get a model too.

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  2. http://twospools.com/bodices Look at the full add, there are models and they are poorly represented. Also what is bein stolen is the layered empire waist overbust and longline cincher concept that is one of Damsel's trademarks.

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