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Posted by hipstomp | 29 Aug 2008
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Comments (7)
Admit it--when you hear the words "copyright violation," the first place you think of is China; you probably don't think of, say, Home Depot.
Well, check out the two lamps up top. Recognize 'em? Can you even tell 'em apart? Here's the deal, from an NYC tipster:
Right now the Home Depot on 23rd Street [in Manhattan] is selling an almost exact copy of the Starck-designed Miss K Lamp by Flos. Only [Home Depot's version] is missing the half-chrome plating on the inside of the shade, which is the whole concept of the original design, and the plastic quality is substandard. Also the chrome "collar" is el cheapo and has no engraved branding on it as with the Flos lamp. The price? Only $21.97! About 1/10 the price of the Flos lamp. From three feet away, they are all but identical.The [Home Depot] lamp is actually produced by Hampton Bay, who should really know better than to pirate intellectual property. It is one thing for companies to knock off vintage design classics, but for a supposedly legitimate company to out-and-out copy a design currently in production by a living designer like Starck is really over the top. For shame!
thanks Bradley!
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Is this the first time you have found out that HD sells knock offs from China? Walk around the store....50% of everything is from China! EVERYTHING is a knock off of some designer somewhere!
you could say stark knocked off any number of lamps from the 50's.....who's to say?
Designer material is reproduced everywhere in the world. Asia is a top line area. I think the bottom line is yes get permission and don't fake up on copywrite material. Laws that protect these inventors should be recognized and place a negotiation to ones hard work. Any invention can be duplicated. But is there anywhere in the world that can retrieve up all this information? I personally come to understand all levels of family lifestyles. The $$$$ discount is what everyone is looking for. Quality however and authentic, is somewhat a precious value of the maker. I would place my focus in building more relationships and make the internet world a safe place harbor. Although it's not in reality. I experience the same in my work that an Ad is great up front, but behind the scenes can be another scam or fraud waiting to be hit once again. It's uncontrollable, so with measure's get to know people instead of invade and violate ones work that he or she truly should get the credit for. It's called in many ways breaking Federal Trade Guidelines.
So it comes down to the fact that patents are pretty much useless unless you have some means and a lot of will and patience to fight it. It comes down to who can market it best and get it in to the most consumers' homes
"selling it for 1/10th the price."
I think that is wonderful. HD is like Robin Hood. I like that. I hate expensive design. Expensive design should get knocked off. If they were selling it for the same price....well that would be a problem in my mind. but knocking down the pretense of celebrity...rock on!!!
price is just another way that design becomes exclusionary.
I don't know what "design becomes exclusionary" means, but I can tell you that the lamp on the right looks like it's outta Target and the one on the left looks like Kubrick himself vetted it for a scene involving synthemesc.
Some people buy the Saturn Sky, some people buy the Lotus Elise. Both are perfectly acceptable.
You can't call it a blatant copy, then list a raft of differences. This lamp is too basic to claim exclusive creation rights. I'm sure a similar lamp can be found as prior art from past decades anyway.