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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Comments
Some people buy the Saturn Sky, some people buy the Lotus Elise. Both are perfectly acceptable.
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.