Mom Defends Copyright, Triumphs Over Urban Outfitters
Good news regarding the disturbing allegations of Urban Outfitters infringing a designer’s copyright. According to NBC Chicago, Urban Outfitters has been shamed into removing jewelry from its website and line.
According to Tumblr’s fashion director Richard Tong, Urban Outfitters began the process of reaching out to [designer, Stevie] Koerner on Thursday to remove the jewelry line from its site and it was gone by Friday morning.
Of interest of course is whether or not one can copyright pendants in the shape of the fifty US states. They do have a heart-shaped puncture through them, indicating the capital of the state, so this may help. Regardless, this incident serves as a gentle reminder to the free-culture party that theft of copyrighted works — for commercial or non-commercial reasons — cuts both ways. Kudos to Koerner!
What do you think?
Thanks to our good friend and former student, Amanda Sitzer, for sending this story along.
Tags: appropriation, commercial use, Copyright, design, fashion, jewelry, online sales
Regretsy did an post about this story a few days ago. The most interesting aspect of the article is a comparison of several independent artists and retailers who had used and marketed metal pendants shaped like the 50 States with heart-shaped holes punched through them.
Is it possible that Urban Outfitters was inspired to make such jewelry designs by Truche’s offerings? Perhaps. Then again, she’s hardly the only (or first) artist that the apparel retailer could have taken the design from.
Linke to the Regretsy article (warning for some strong language): http://www.regretsy.com/2011/05/27/urban-outrage/ as well as a follow-up post in response to criticism to the original Regretsy post, and discussion about how the boycott of Urban Outfitters and the flooding of Truche with orders may not be the most reasonable or effective response to the situation: http://www.regretsy.com/2011/05/31/state-of-confusion/