UPDATE: UO has responded and apologized, removing the item. I do understand that they purchase from overseas vendors, and while they may be stealing from poor little Etsy sellers like myself (my pieces are plastered all over Alibaba, with other factories' watermarks on my pictures), it seems that UO isn't always aware of who gets copied by who.
Anyway, I guess I can keep on wearing my many Urban/Anthro items of clothing.
Read on for the original scandal….
__________________________________
My friend Julia recently sent me a link to this ring from Urban Outfitters.
It looks suspiciously like my Cleopatra Ring.
Notice their $10 sale price.
How is that even possible?!?!
I carved MY ring out of wax. It was one of the first pieces I made when I started working in wax last year. It is cast in recycled brass by a wonderful company in NYC. I work with my hands to transform all of my jewelry from rough, raw castings into smooth, wearable, shiny pieces. Just to give you an idea of what goes into each ring.I have permanent blisters from cutting off the sprues (the left over little pieces of metal from when it was cast).
This obviously isn't the first time Urban has stolen designs from independent artists.
Remember that time they copied Etsy seller Truche's state heart pendants? No? Here's a refresher. (even though there was residual backlash that that design had been floating around the jewelry world already. but still.)
It also happened to Glam Trash.
And then there's this general awfulness.
So, that's that. Let the raging begin.
