Chickens and Eggs

It's been an interesting day in Facebook-land. It all started long, long ago.....

There were these frilly nappy covers. And doilies. And lace. And 'vintage' prints of cute things. Then came along some talented women who turned these things into hot, must-have items for little girls (and the odd boy). Now let's not forget that these are products made by Mums, for kids.

So this morning two very strange and coincidental things happened. Firstly, I found a new designer on FB who is making things very similar to a designer I already follow who has been around for yonks. I noticed the similarities and was going to email her (established designer, not the newbie) but thought i'd leave it, best not meddle. Ironically, this designer had already been alerted today to the fact that someone else completely different had indeed been finding quite a lot of 'inspiration' in her work. So much so that this person decided to almost identically replicate one of her designs and sell it on a popular site. By the time I had finished my coffee I felt so sorry for this poor woman. Here, by her own talent, she had effectively spawned a series of imitators. Or 'inspirations'. Call it what you will, there were undeniable similarities too close to call coincidence.

A third horrible thing then happened when I thought I'd check out my own page on said crafty-selling website. Lo and behold there is someone selling something incredibly similar to one of my own designs. I had NEVER EVER seen one of these particular 'things' before I started making them. And to make matters worse, it wasn't listed months ago, it was listed very recently, like yesterday. Very recently after I have listed very similar listings. Lsts use an example here. Say there are heaps of people selling teddy bears. They all have different clothes on them, some are blue, some are pink, some are big, some are small. Then I start making two-headed teddy bears. I didn't invent the teddy but I did add an extra head to it. Then lets say that within a few days another person starts selling two-headed teddy bears. How do I feel? (Besids making creepy toys, lets not even go there. Probably not the best analogy but it was all I could come up with!) Not only that but this person actually re-worded my text! The bloody nerve!!! Should I feel flattered? Trust me, there aint a huge market here for 'two-headed teddy bears'!!!

So here I was feeling all sorry for my fave designer when I too was kicked in the guts. It hasn't left me all day but has given me a lot to think about.

Is there a difference between 'design' and 'inspiration'? Can a true designer ever claim inspiration without a certain level of artistic credit going to the original object?

We aren't coming up with completely unique ideas here folks. Yes, we put our own very personalised marks on things. This is what makes a designer different from an inventor. None of us invented the ruffled nappy cover, pinny or embellished baby singlet. Hell, I didn't invent bunting but I mix and match certain bits and call them certain things. Nor did anyone invent the dress but it is what that person adds to it that makes it unique. We certainly aren’t the first to up-cycle doilies or make yo-yos or appliqué singlets. Unless you own copyright over a certain image then it is free for all. But it is what you do with it that counts. Or what you don't do with it more to the point. If you are going to use a very distinctive motif then be sure it hasn't been done before. Any credibility you have as a designer will be instantly dismissed, no matter how genuinely original you think you may have been. Research people - sadly someone has probably already done what you want to do.

Today I have been left with an eerie feeling that all this 'niceness' on Facebook can sometimes be a facade for something simmering just below the surface. Or perhaps that is just because I have been hurt and bullied before and I am the cynical one. (I was going to mention bullying here but that is another blog post entirely).

At the end of the day we have to remember who we are doing this for. It might be our own small businesses but our products are for children. Babies. Little people who look up to us as role models.

Oh and if you want to take 'inspiration' from my designs or anyone elses, a final word. Don't make it so bleedingly bloody obvious!