Knock-off in style » Discussions

Looks like I need a new “Source”

olya — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:09:18 +0000

So, looks like DWR started carrying knock-offs themselves. FastCompany wrote an excellent article on the matter: “The Rise and Fall of Design Within Reach“.

I am not too surprised, but it sounds like they are going to turn themselves around – or at least try. The article is definitely worth a read if you are interested in the world of furniture ideas and theft.

Target is shameless

olya — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:53:45 +0000

Target discussion on Blue Ant Studio.

It’s one thing, in my mind, to create a cheaper version of a design borrowing on similar characteristics. See IKEA’s candle holders – they are not as heavy or as colorful as Iitalia’s. It is another to totally copy something.

Maybe the line is blurry.

I love the chair poster and have it hanging on my wall.

discussion of fake versus real

olya — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:38:12 +0000

an interesting discussion of which is a better purchase – a knock off, or the real thing, with some example: design hole: fake not fabulous, and the original thread

discussion of knock-offs

olya — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:44:09 +0000

Apartment Therapy mentions another knock off – the CB Ripple chair for $249 to Eames Group Management $1298 chair.

The thread is interesting for its articulate discussion of what a knock off is and whether it is a good or a bad thing. My personal stand is that knowingly buying a direct knock off – i.e. an object that purports to be the original is kinda pointless. However, buying “indirect” design – such as the examples in this site which mimic closely but are yet different – is like buying H&M or Forever 21. You know they took ideas from runways; sometimes quite directly (see Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. and Forever 21); but they lack sufficiently in details, quality and price to make themselves a different object.

via AT: Shutter Storage Cabinet

olya — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:28:06 +0000

Saunter over to Apartment Therapy to read the discussion of a copycat of the Shutter Storage Cabinet (retailing for around $3,000 USD). Note the link to a JCPenney knock off in the comments…

2 rooms by AT

olya — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 03:49:55 +0000

Apartment Therapy has a interesting post building two rooms based on knock offs or similar furniture.

A rose by any other name

olya — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:15:04 +0000

So, this is my blog. I’m going to try and document here my love of finding cheaply made knock-offs of designer furniture. I know a number of objections can be raised to this. I’ll deal with them a little later.

Right now my biggest problem is a lack of a name that I love for this website. So – ideas are welcome!

Now, onward to the concerns you might have:

Why do you steal money from the wonderful people who create stylish things by giving it to those who rip them off? As a very recently graduated student I am well familiar with the state of really-really wanting to live in a nice apartment, but with nearly no funds to do so. I dream of the day I can afford to buy myself a Bertoia or an Eames Eiffel chair. However, until that day comes I am perfectly willing to live with the cheaper versions. The designer version, in the virtue of being produced with love and care, is nearly always better made, and will last longer.
Aren’t you an artist? Can’t you sympathize at the pain of being copied without credit? The whole point is to give credit where credit is due. Most people who shop in Ikea don’t realize where the vast amounts of things they love actually originate. Not to diminish the credit of Ikea’s designers; but there are a lot of knockoffs in Ikea’s arsenal. Here, at least, we can be educated on the original and true creators. They say imitation is the best form of flattery…
But mass produced isn’t green!
Ikea itself actually is fairly green. Target? Probably not so much. Fact of life is – when you’re poor (or in this case “not well off”) living green is not the highest priority. The best furniture resource for going green is garage sales. When I have time I look at those – and finding wonderful original and knockoffs is awesome, but does nothing for the greater good of sharing the roots of good design.
This site is Ikea centric!
Possibly; I am Toronto based and try to pick merchants that I could actually buy from. That excludes Target and Walmart websites for me (even though I still shall link to them out of sheer joy of finding a cheaper substitute).
This website is US/Canada centric!
Hopefully Canada more than the U.S. If you’d like me to find a cheaper version for another country, give me the name of the website which I can look at that would ship or sell there. Internet and all, but I still know very little about cheap furniture in Europe or Asia.
I have an idea to post!
Please e-mail me!
I have an idea for a better name for this website!
Please e-mail me!