I've always thought that being a jewelry designer is like being the drummer in a band: every jackass thinks that they can do it, but very few can actually do it well. The easiest thing to do when you're either lacking in skill, talent, or inspiration is to copy other designers, which is a sadly commonplace practice in the fashion industry. Fast fashion retailers are often the most brazen and frequent perpetrators of knockoffs, and every single one of them has been called out for their shameless design thievery. Topshop, however, has hit very close to home for me on multiple occasions, first replicating a dress we made (which was then replicated by everyone else), and later, according to my friend Sara Zucker, copying our Triskaidekaphobia tooth necklace. We learned about the tooth necklace too far after it happened to actually see it, but Sara assures us it's the same.
Now, Topshop has knocked off our dear friend Jules Kim of Bijules, creating a near-exact replica of her signature nail ring, which she's been selling in various styles for years. The price is probably cheaper, the quality is definitely dinkier, but the design is quite obviously the same, with only a slight difference in the shape of the snake's head. I'm pretty sure Topshop targets younger designers in particular, under the belief that they, unlike Louis Vuitton, will not have the money and resources to retaliate. However, I know that Jules is a very feisty lady who will fight back. As for the rest of us, the very least we can do is speak out.
The Topshop knock off
-Tiffany
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