Copying! I think most that know me realise that what riles me is copying of design, I have written about it in our external newsletter quite a few times and of course a list of those that copy is on our website www.twiice.com! It would then be quite suspect, I would think, if I kept my rant of intense dislike of what copying stands for and what copying is and what copying does to the industry away from the blog!
Yes, ‘they’ say that Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but think of the research, the labour, the passion that is put into design – when it is copied and someone makes a quick buck on a popular item, it is ridicule in my opinion. A design is something that is perfected over the years, it is a process of perfection. Copies cannot be made to the same specification because they are made with cheaper labour and materials but yet in some circumstances sell for only a fraction less than the real thing. It is a chair, yes, but this chair has to be light, strong, ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing.
A designer will not just sketch a pretty image and then down the line watch as their piece of creativity dawns to life – there is research involved, quality tests and so on. I cannot just rewrite Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and rename it Wonderful Prospects, but yet for some reason it is okay that a Verner Panton chair can have its name subtly changed and then it is all okay.
The argument: - we cannot all afford design and if the consumer wants to adorn their house with fakes it is because the “originals” are so expensive. Point taken, but if there were less copies there would surely be more room in the industry for “original” products and we would be able to spend more money and effort promoting local design.
Design is inspiration, our ideas are not completely ours and perhaps no design is 100% original but it is to evolve from what has inspired you, to keep going so that it is you that will be the next inspiration – and where are we going if we remain stagnant and continue producing and purchasing copies?