Friday, August 27, 2010

Don't copy other peoples things.


Last night I wrote a long essay on the topic of today's discussion, but then I thought, as it is so obvious, all I really have to do is show the pictures.

This is a well recognised design by Verity Keniger, a screen printer/illustrator/artist from Edinburgh:
And this is the copied "design" by Kelly Hyatt, of a company called "Lagom", used on greeting cards sold online in their store and various retailers:
The company/designer has done things like this before, and are refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing, using an aggressive defensive strategy which has involved sending threatening emails to Verity and to other people who have commented on her blog post about the matter (myself included). They are not even taking the product down from sale.

I would like to highlight this issue and to ask you, as a consumer, not to purchase products produced by unscrupulous companies who think that it is perfectly fine to profit from the work of artists without their permission, pay them nothing, and threaten them when they find out about it.

Social media is a powerful tool in getting the word out about pretty much anything, so please re-blog this, or send a kindly worded email to Lagom asking them to remove the design from sale, and if you would like to see my original essay (it's a fair bit longer than this, going into detail of exactly what has been said and done in this instance) send me an email and I'll let you read it.

UPDATE: The greeting card has been removed from the Lagom online shop, but they are still refusing to admit responsibility, instead, have chosen to threaten legal action against Verity. Weird, since it was something that they did in the first place.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

here, here! I have had people at my market stand there and say 'how do you make this' and I know they are asking as they want to copy. One lady actually said she liked my designs more than another market holder as mine were' easier to copy'. Get an imagination of your own!

Lulu said...

this is beyond despicable. i love creating things, but since i don't do it publicly i've never been copied (or even had to think/worry about it). i can understand about something being inspiring, but this is insane! i don't see how any artist with any self respect could ever do this. i'm very sorry that this goes on in the world, it's humiliating. this isn't at all what art is about. =[

All the time in the world... said...

I love this stand you're taking. People should be able to enjoy other peoples art and creations and introduce and share it to their world of friends, but to take them and turn them into profit is ridiculous and ruins it for us all...

the notebook doodles said...

ughh! this is what i hate about the internet.

i just found someone the other day who completely shred my work to pieces and claim it as her own.

but i guess having someone else copy your work and THEN make a profit out of it, is much worse :(

why can't people be original and not steal?!

Anonymous said...

I have writtten to Lagom's service prodiver, because posting copyright material of other people's work is usually against the terms and conditions of most ISPs.
http://www.fasthosts.co.uk is the service provider and you can email them at misuse@fasthosts.co.uk or enquiries@fasthosts.co.uk I think i used the later but the former would be best. The more people who write the more likely they'll consider it serious. It opens them up to legal action too so they can protect themselves by denying service to their customer.

Steph Bond-Hutkin said...

Thanks for sharing this atrocity Sarah, it's shocking. And something I keep coming across, again and again. The more of us that take a stand publicly, the better.

Catherine Bell said...

Gahhh that is so horrible! I'm glad that they've taken it off but still! isn't it fair for them to AT LEAST appologise to Verity?
It happens so much in the fashion industry as well, a girl on my course who i helped with her final collection went for an interview at Karen Millen, they really liked her work but she didn't get the job. A few months later she saw one of her designs being sold online, with a few tinyyyyy differences! But they don't really care or take responsibility do they :( very sad x

p.s Sarah, I'm one of the students who emailed you (Cat) about the interview for our magazine project. We got a first for it! :) thank you so much for your interview and lovely pictures!
Cat xxx

Verity Keniger said...

he's put the card back on sale but I presume this at least means he got nowhere with his legal pursuit... still - onwards and upwards!

thanks everyone - especially Sarah