Urban Outfitters’ rib cage necklace (right) bears a striking resemblance to indie designer Lillian Crowe‘s rendition (left), doesn’t it? The designer, who debuted the bone jewelry last March, thinks so and she’s trying not to be pissed. The fashion industry would have stalled and died a long time ago if designers couldn’t “be inspired” by other designers’ work, but copying a ruffled hem on a dress is entirely different from essentially knocking off a design entirely. Though Crowe’s gold necklace is more detailed (and cooler!) than the Urban Outfitters variety, something about this feels very David and Goliath to us. If this level of “inspiration” is OK, how can small designers even attempt to compete with huge retailers? It will always be less expensive for Urban Outfitters to private label a design and sell it for $24 than it will be to actually buy the jewelry from designers like Lillian, whose necklace retails for $99. Yes, the lower price makes the design more accessible to a greater number of people, but it also means that the artist who “inspired” the piece in the first place doesn’t have a chance. [The Cut]
