I rarely complain about copying but....

I rarely shop. I own a sim with business rentals, and I do events, and I design clothes and other things... so shoppin typically isn't on my list of activities. When I DO get the bug to go to my favorite stores and stock up I hit the same ones everytime. I have fav designers not in my sim so I head to there stores. Today though, I find my shopping trip a bit... disturbing.

Back on May 31st 2005 I designed an outfit "Studs and Spikes". There was a male and female outfit, the female one was modeled by my dear friend and sister Lilly. No big deal, I've sold enough to make me pleased to have made it. Sooooo today I'm shoppin at a favorite shop of mine and in the NEW section I find this (see attached photo please). Now in the past people have done similar designs to things I have done. It happens all over second life to everyone and I don't complain but this time I'm a bit annoyed at the extreme similarity of this.

I guess I won't be shoppin at Mischief any longer....

Sorry but I don't see much of copying there. Different textures, different style (aside from the 'rings'. Her shirt is longer as well and to be honest higher in appearance quality... I have seen exact copies of things made by different people who photo source from websites etc and people selling jeans and white t-shirts that look exactly the same. I don't see any copying here...

I can't see how this is copying. The necklines are similar but they are not by any means the same thing

I'm not a fashionista, but the designs strike me as being different enough for the latter to have been designed by someone who had never seen the former.

Indeed, I'm pretty sure my daugher has a Bratz® doll that has a shirt with similar styling. Current trends in RL fashion are themes that spill over to other RL designers and SL designers.

I agree... sure it may be somewhat similar... but def not the same. Not the same cut, texture, etc.

Like you said yourself, things are bound to be "similar". It would be a FAR stretch to call this copying.

LOL, that's what I was thinking! I'm not a fashion guru, but IMHO, those look different enough to not be considered a copy, unless you have a patent or trademark on dots, studs, beads or spots.

This is like saying Levi is copying off of Tommy Hilfiger. They all really are about the same, but they are not copying since it's such a basic design.

I don't see any similarities. So....::insert witty statement saying it's not copying::.

Similar, yes. Are you the first person to ever put rings on a shirt? I don't think so. Looks to me like two designers just had similar ideas, or were inspired by similar RL sources (possibly even the same RL source, who knows?).

The most telling thing to me, though, is that you would take it to the forums and complain about something that is most likely just a coincidence. That, and the Mischief one looks to be much better quality. There's a very good chance that your post is going to have the exact opposite effect from what you've intended, since if I am going to be choosing between the two outfits, I'll buy the Mischief one.

all i have to say is look at the following pic which is probably where your inspiration came from too.

As pointed out above, this is not even close in comparison. It's a shame you don't see that. In the past there have been instances where the exact same thing was designed by different designers and I do mean exact. Its because they went to the same source, it was not because they both copied each other, but of course, one thought the other did.

In this case, the only similarity is the neckline and even that has some difference. Different textures used, different color beads and one is longer than the other. Janie has been designing clothes for some time now and is very successful. I seriously doubt that she would need to stoop to the level of copying to make a sale. I noticed you mentioned "Mischief" to (IMHO) slander her store, but YOU didn't mention your store. Could you kindly name your store, so I will be sure not to shop there.

MJ

I don't get it - how can some of you be telling Baby Thorn her outfit is of lesser quality than the other one, which I can't see where it says anywhere which one is which? Am I missing something?

coco

The posters on the wall have the Mischief logo, and the woman standing in front of the signs has on a necklace that says Baby somethingsomething, and she said she was out shopping and came across those in the New section of the Michief store.

Or we're psychic. Could go either way.

You honestly, can't tell the difference between the two? And just for clarity, I'm not refusing to shop at Baby's shop for the quality, I can't design a shirt to save my life, but I'm sure in the hell not going to shop at a store, when someone complains about being copied when CLEARLY she wasn't. Also, did she even bother to IM Janie iw to ask her about this privately, instead of trying to slander her business on the forums????

MJ

I thought Cocoa was saying she didn't know which was Janie and which was Baby in the snapshot.

Mainly because I can tell a Janie Marlowe outfit from a mile away because she's that good

OK - now I am confused! I see only one actual person plus posters.

coco

P.S. Okay I get it - Janie is not Baby's sister she'd referred to earlier, but the other designer.

The woman standing in front of the posters is Baby, in the outfit she designed. The woman in the posters is Janie, in the outfit she designed for Michief. Most people can probably tell the difference because they check out the New Products forum and recognize the avatars and the Mischief logo.

Well, I am not familiar with fashion. In fact, my neat stuff is generally a gift from Reddish, who has an excellent eye for how to dress people according to their innate style - which she kinda just somehow GLEANS.

But, yes, I do see a difference, but I don't think it is in the direction MJ and others might like or expect. The one on the right looks blurry to me, and I like the one on the left better.

That is just my personal preference, however, and I'm sure the one on the right, if that is Jamie's, that she would doubtless make many other things I would like. And - for all I know, I'm already happily wearing some of them! (I'll have to look at my inventory when I log in.)

And Baby, I'm sure she didn't copy it, or even get subconsciously inspired by yours. This kinda thing happens ALL THE TIME in SL's fashion world. I've even seen it happen in the house building world. You do something - another person does something - and the somethings are alike. And you KNOW you didn't see theirs to copy it first.

But hey, all it was was, they got the same idea you did without seeing yours to copy it, either - just like you did. If you thought it up independently, so could they.

coco

Well, I personally just want to say thank you for the sheer amount of cleavage on display in this thread.

The two don't look at all similar, except in the way that one t-shirt looks like another t-shirt.

Unless the OP is the inventor of shirts with rings. Is this the case?

Apparently, I misunderstood what she was saying. Sorry Coco. Gotta love text.

MJ

This happens alot when people photo source or reference current fashions. I can tell you there many items I have seen at various stores that are exactly the same or similiar.

Theres a top I have seen in a very well known store for example which I have seen in at least 4 other stores some are varied and some are exact down to the color. I have also seen the top online they were all photosourced.

I think it comes down to making the item your own if something is photosorced and no details were changed and someone else sources it then neither person can say its their own work.

In this case it looks like both were inspired from the same source but the details are different.

I would never be good friends with someone who would intentionally steal someone else's designs..Janie Marlowe has so much integrity that its admirable and i wish more people were like her...and i even believe that many people could learn a thing or two from her.

In regards to that design..the proof is in the pudding baby..she showed the picture for inspiration..its totally based on trend..and im sure there are a thousand versions of that shirt already floating around in SL..similarities are bound to happen--this has been said time and time and tiiiime again..its not a perfect match and i believe your going to have to admit at least that.

The right thing to do would have been to confront Janie personally and -waited for a response- before making this public.

I see what you mean. I wouldnt shop there, I'd head straight to the eye doctor too.

Edit: Hell, even blurred they look completely different.

Compare the 2:

Rings: Not uncommon at all. Yours look like simple white circles, hers look metal. Your rings touch at the cup, her cups extend up to meet the rings.
Dots/Studs: Yours go around the entire garment, hers form a triangle pattern.
Fabric: Yours looks like a stamped on pattern of something rough. Hers has depth, reflection, looks silky and is a longer top than yours.
Necklines: Yours is completely different than hers, much lower.
Neck area: Vastly different.
Color: Black. More common in SL than lag itself.

I dont know either of you nor care whos right or wrong. But these are 2 completely different garments.