Similar Space Girls much? (www.dinosaursandrobots.com)
The interwebs are ablaze with activity and anger about a recent embroidery showdown. Some crafters are claiming there’s been a copyright infringement of Sublime Stitching original designs created by Jenny Hart. The perpetrator? Urban Threads.
To date no official comment has been released on either of Hart’s websites, but an incredible amount of data is being batted back and forth online. Without going into too much detail (you can find blogging here, here, here, and here) it saddens me that this kind of widespread artistic infringement happens in the indie craft world. I mean, Urban Outfitters has been accused of similar in the past, repeatedly, but you kinda hope that last time is really the last time.
To add fuel to the fire, Urban Threads has provided a rebuttal for the entire online craft world to dissect and discount as well as a letter from the big cheese meant for Jenny but published on the Urban Threads website for the whole world to see.
What I find most compelling is the rate at which information is being posted online about this complication and the consequence that even at the end of the day Sublime Stitching doesn’t have a leg to stand on. I had the opportunity to meet with Jenny Hart last year about this time and she mentioned that copyright infringement was a huge deal for her. At the time I wasn’t able to contextualize what she meant, but with this scandal sweeping the internet, it’s starting to make sense. Not only does the craft world divide as to who is in the wrong, but it just adds unneeded stress and negative attention onto the crafter and artist. Even the work of maintaining strict copyright creates headaches and when you’re faced with a situation like this justice could never be served.
Crafters face conflicts with themselves and the craft community regarding ownership of “the idea” to sew two pieces of repurposed jersey fabric together or some other random, yet simplistic, crafting idea. How do we as independent publishers of art, crafts, text, etc. secure our work? One way to go about it is to just let go of the idea that we own anything! Because the minute I feel like I own something I see it in Teen Vogue anyway.
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nine comments
the interesting thing about it all is that jenny herself has often been accused of copying independent artists work, but since she's jenny, no one will ever say it publicly. (hence posting anonymously!) she gets really upset and is quick to point fingers if she feels that someone has copied her, but doesn't acknowledge at all that many of her designs are based on kitsch images that are widely available anyway. how many space pin ups are there out there? how many sailor jerry style tattoos? anatomical body parts? images of super stylized vintage christmas ornaments?
it really bothered me that jenny herself didn't publicly say anything, she just sent out e-mails and others posted them and supported her by virtue of her celebrity status. no one has said where these comparison images came from, and until it was publicly pointed out, no one acknowledged that they were manipulated.
i thought the bigger issue, which has been overshadowed by everyone rushing to protect jenny (whether she needs it or not, most of her accusations were quite frankly, weak), was the way Urban Threads maintained the illusion that it was a site started a run by one woman, a real independent DIY style business, when it totally wasn't. in this way, urbanthreads.com and emblibrary.com were deceiving customers. they would have been much smarter to have admitted that from the outset, and would have actually attracted customers to each site that may not have discovered them otherwise!
Posted by anonymous
May 1, 2009, 4:10 AM
I don't know either of these people or companies, so I am not taking sides. All I can say is that there is a fine line between outright copying another artist and using the same theme. Can't claim copyright for using the same kind of imagery.
Both of them are using themes that have been around for a long time and neither one of them own the copyright on images of space women, or ornaments etc. All they own is the copyright to how THEY executed it.
What I am sensing is a nasty competitive game going on in which one is stealing the ideas of another, but not crossing the line into outright copyright violation.
Just my humble opinion though
Posted by jafabrit
May 1, 2009, 8:04 AM
ps. I like your blog zine.
Posted by jafabrit
May 1, 2009, 8:06 AM
The thing that makes me curious is that Jenny has chosen to air her laundry in public like this. The more appropriate response would have been to pursue legal action privately (if this was considered necessary) and then issue a press statement once the matter had been settled.
Choosing to make the issue public in this way is unprofessional and feels like an admission that the case for complaint is flimsy at best.
Posted by A Bystander
May 1, 2009, 10:30 AM
Yeah, I was thinking that maybe she didn't come out publicly was because she doesn't want to make a big deal out of it and perhaps some sites have posted her letter in the wrong? who knows. but it is a mess :(
Posted by Diandra
May 1, 2009, 10:43 AM
You might notice that on Niamh O'Connor's Linked in Profile:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/453/222
She clearly states that she is both the art director of Urban Threads and still designs for Embroidery Library. If she was being really sneaky about it, why would she post that info online?
Posted by Katt
May 2, 2009, 11:09 AM
The lay out is identical, how`s that coiencidence?
Posted by Loren
May 4, 2009, 10:24 PM
The layout is only identical on these comparison images put together by a blogger who received and posted Jenny Hart's email. The layout is not representative of how the designs appear on the Sublime Stitching pattern:
http://www.sublimestitching.com/space...
The designs are sold individually on the Urban Threads website, so they are not pictured together.
Posted by Karen
May 4, 2009, 11:07 PM
Some comments on this thread have been deleted because they contained unattributed accusations or potentially libelous statements.
Posted by Web Editor
May 5, 2009, 5:30 PM
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