Uh-Oh! Etsy Designer’s Work Stolen…by URBAN OUTFITTERS!
Urban Outfitters has had their share of problems. Not only is there that whole “contributed money to the campaign of a homophobic assclown” mess, but now there’s the question of where the inspiration for their products comes from. Namely, does it come from indie designers who aren’t seeing any money for their efforts?
Designer Stevie K., who sells jewelry via Etsy.com and does so successfully enough that she’s been able to make this passion her full-time job, posted to her blog that a reader had sent her a link to the Urban Outfitters website. It turns out, the UO online store is selling items that are exactly like the necklaces Stevie handmakes and sells…but mass produced at lower prices, threatening her business.
Check it out for yourself.
This isn’t the first time UO’s been in trouble over apparent design theft. Last year the Village Voice ran a story covering multiple other instances like this, so you’d think the store would be a little more careful these days. It also seems more and more like this sort of thing CAN’T be a coincidence.
What do you think? Does Urban Outfitters owe Stevie and the other designers an apology? Or could this just be a series of designers just having eerily similar ideas?
