I've been meaning to write about this for so long, I got prompted yesterday when lovely jeweller Zoe Duthie posted an image of my shoe brooch on Twitter.
I first made the shoe brooch a very long time ago. Everyone I ever made always sold - I now make them to order.
Last year I was at my sisters when I spied this brooch. I did a double take - it looked so familiar - but not!
Where did you get that? Sis said 'Topshop'. WHAT!!!!
The size of the Topshop brooch is much bigger. It is made from mirrored perspex and has the image printed on. The ribbon is horrible synthetic cheap and nasty.
The shoe brooch I made used an original image of a shoe taken from a really obscure piece of ephemera I collected - not saying exactly what in case I do ever pursue this. It is set in silver and has a much more precious feel to it.
Its the fact the Topshop actually copied the print of the shoe - probably from my website that is so appalling.
This seems to happen just so much, and without designers even knowing at times. It will be interesting to find out the outcome of Tatty Devine necklace - that was blatantly copied by Claires accessories.
It's funny because a few years ago Topshop were selling bright blue butterfly necklaces - my sister pointed this out to me as did a few others that they were very close to what I was doing. I didn't see it as copying. I thought it was just coincidence - butterflies are in nature - can you really accuse someone of copying when using them. Prehaps I was being too naive!
