Adventures in Copyright
Adventures in Copyright: From Valerie Rubinaccio to Urban Outfitters, It’s A Chain Of Fools
By Leah Chernikoff
Brooklyn-based Jewelry designer Valerie Rubinaccio was dismayed to find that Urban Outfitters is selling a ring similar to one she designed over a year ago.
The two rings don’t look exactly alike–we much prefer Rubinaccio’s version with multiple chains in varying metals and link size–but the concept is a match.
“It is just hard to see my design being copied and to know where the line of ‘inspiration’ just becomes copying,” says Rubinaccio. “I researched heavily when I first made [the rings] a year ago and I know that these were not being designed/produced before I made them.”
“It’s just unfortunate,” says Rubinaccio. Agreed.
You can buy Rubinaccio’s bad ass chain rings at Kaight on Orchard St. in the LES.
Did UO cross the line? What’s your take?
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The UO one is ugly anyways!
As much as I like UO, I do believe that their items are over priced and just repeat fashions of what designers have already put out.
Building in product obsolescence is an important element of any sustainable business model – in any industry. If your product is good, it will be copied – that's inevitable – and you need to plan for it.
It's also important to note, that while I love her rings and think they are very of the moment, she is incorrect when she says that no one else has done that style. Loree Rodkin has numerous versions in her archive, Jade Jaggar did a version for Garrard, even Waris did an option about ten years ago. Very little is original in fashion, dual rings with chains included.
That other ring isn't the first chain ring. I bought one early last year from someone else. Her scope of research was just limited. Urban is just bringing the look to the masses just like H&M, Zara, or TopShop. I'm sure the big guys complain, but it's just the fact of life for a designer.
hi, sorry I should have been more clear. They were not being currently designed/produced for purchase. I have been told this style was made in different variations, mostly in the 70's although I've never been able to find a picture.
I flatter myself that I started the oxfords instead of ballets trend because I used to own a vintage boutique in Philly where higher-up creatives at Urban shopped for inspiration and brought it to the masses . . . one pair of 80s lilac lizard ferragamo oxfords + six months = total mall domination of pastel embossed oxfords. of course, if you look back, dries was doing those gold leather pointy toe totally sick oxfords way before anyone else. and there are countless other inspirations to point to.keep telling yourself it's the sincerest form of flattery . . . cuz there's nothing else you can do about it!
I used to work at a store that got much of their inventory at the same wholesalers Urban uses, and we sold those same rings (as Urban), that means they were mass produced in another country and sold to places like urban for less than $1 (often) and then marked up considerably from there. We sold many of the same items for a fraction of the price urban does and STILL made a profit.As well, Urban has a track record of under-bidding companies despite the size of the company. A designer I worked for made t-shirts that wholesale around $14, that would usually be $28 retail. They wanted to pay closer to $8 per shirt and charge $32 in store, taking advantage of the fact that the designer would 'get their label out there'.Not so crazy about that, also about the fact that everything is made in factories in China… Even Forever 21 makes some of their stuff in the US!
There are knock offs of everything in the fashion industry!! ev-er-y-thing. why is this news?!
UO has and will always make water downed yet affordable versions of other designers stuff.
Why not have a pop at Agent Provocateur while you're at it? http://www.my-wardrobe.com/agent-provocateur/da...Nothing is original any more. Just because somebody produces something at the same time as or shortly after someone else does, it doesn't mean anybody's copied anyone: it just means everyone is running out of ideas.
Fashion is always reinterpreted (if you wish to call it copied, so be it). If that were not the case H&M and Forever21 would be out of biz. Get over it, Valerie, and produce more awesome stuff that other, less exciting manufacturers, will want to copy.
look up Elyse Jacobs. produced within the last year and available for purchase.
Whilst the idea is there, the uo one is hardly a copy, and there isn't too much of a similarity between the two designs.However, I'd probably be bummed if I thought I came up with an idea and uo copied it too…
Valerie's rings are much nicer than UO's. I wouldn't say that UO are necessarily copying. I'm sure infact that it could easily happen again ie. a jewelery designer somewhere in the world making two rings joined by a chain or chains with no idea of Valerie's or UO's versions.
also agent provocateur have a ring on sale like this too….ive seen quite a few designers produce this recently
It's a simple design and i'd hardly say that Urban had copied. There are probably students all over the world designing similar rings. Any designer should aware of others designs and to accuse urban of copying a design when there have been previous rings produced in the same style years before Valeries is just ignorant.
I have a question? Have anyone the experience of trying to sell a design product to Urban Outfitters?I have a brilliant design product that they probably would love, what i´m afraid of is that if I show the idea they might will steel it…So thankful for your thoughts and experience!
We have always been a people of the Cross. What bothers me so much is that Christians are worrying and fleeing from the Cross. This tells me that Christianity has become too much of an activity, today, and not enough of a relationship. Most of all, Chritianity has a particular relationship with suffering and death that no other religion in the world has.