Their starting point is somebody else's finished product.
For such a huge brand to just come and steal something that I've created was a real kick.
Inspiration is one thing...
but copying is another.
Is this Primark?
Yeah.
It's so bad.
They're exactly the same.
It's pretty much identical.
It's Instagram that has turned everything around for me, and getting horrified by what's happened,
and both products were withdrawn straight away.
This is the one that I've brought with me today.
So as you can see, it's literally exactly the same as mine.
Mine's a lot brighter and...
Nicer...better.
This is another one of mine that they've copied.
So what have you done about this then?
All I did was put a post on Instagram.
They never got back to me about it.
I just didn't know what else to do about it.
I think just the thought of approaching a solicitor, when you're a one woman business is terrifying.
I think that's also why some large companies target small businesses
because they know we're on our own.
And you're one person up against a huge, huge company.
This was my original set.
I made these in 2016, they were one of my first designs.
Now this is the Primark...
This is Primark? Oh my gosh, it's identical isn't it?
Mmm.
So are they still selling this?
Yep.
They've even done the ones with the stripes!
Everything is exactly the same.
It's so bad isn't it? They're exactly the same.
The first one I had was a top with my slogan, my trademark slogan on.
I had to be away from my kids, I had to have brain surgery, and it was being away from them
that made me want to give them a superhero to watch over them.
So our slogan is 'a superhero has my back'.
There was a top with my trademark slogan on and it was just like someone was stabbing you in the heart
because it was so personal to me.
I thought there was so much publicity around it that no one would dare do it again
and it's happened to me again.
I had people messaging me on Instagram saying 'Oh you're collaborating with Next, I've just seen you in Next'
and I'm like 'I'm not'.
That's ridiculous, they couldn't be more similar.
They didn't even use a different colour.
I seemed to be tagged whenever it happens, people tag me, so I go 'oh god it's happening again'
and I'll go on and just say 'DM me if you wanna talk'
That's what you did to me, and it did really help. Especially when you can see somebody
who has had a success story.
Two years ago I had an order come through, which was to send two of our crowns to Boden headquarters.
And then I started to get these messages saying 'congratulations, you're working with Boden'
I was like 'that's not ours'.
How did that make you feel?
Awful.
So I put something up on Instagram Stories, and then within a couple of hours there were
hundreds of comments on there, and I got a response back from Boden
and they agreed to take the item down and apologised for any distress caused.
I know a lot of responses we have had is that 'we're following trends...this is a trend.'
But that's not design is it, that's just fast fashion and following trends
and copying it.
There seems to be this environment where they're telling themselves that this is ok.
And the 'inspired by'
well you can be inspired by it, but you can't replicate it.
I've had people tell me that my designs are on the walls of design studios...
Me too.
And then you just feel sick because you're waiting for it.
I actually looked up, you can get it on the website, the designers for whatever brand has copied you
I've found them on Instagram and just blocked them.
I girl I know got it touch with me on Instagram when I put the post up about Pretty Little Thing
she used to work for them, and she said they literally screen shot smaller brands
and then they just send it their suppliers in China and just say 'make this' basically.
It’s not inspiration, they’re literally taking that picture and sending it to their suppliers saying make this.
It's so wrong.
Supporting each other, as well as independent businesses is vital
because it makes you feel less alone.
There are places where you can get free advice, so you know whether you've actually got a case.
When you get in to legal processes they can try and make it go so slowly
that you run out of money and you're like, I have to stop.
But if you have got a clear cut case you'll get that money back
because the brand will pay your legal fees so you don't pay it in advance
you get the money back.
I'm just thinking I need to stand up for myself a bit more
and stand up for my business.
If we don't stand up for ourselves it will just keep happening and we've got to make it stop.
When you buy off smaller brands that are made in the UK,
you know you're getting a bit more ethical, how they're making things.
I did have a comment on one of mine saying 'but this is ten times cheaper'...
You should look at how can somebody else make that for ten pounds.
Someone's been hurt in that process, someone's been hurt along the way.
I think everyone needs to be a little more educated on where are your products coming from.
The more we stand up for ourselves the less it's going to happen, agreed?
Agreed!