Iconic Australian designer Jenny Bannister pens her latest controversial blog for ragtrader.com.au. This time about creating trouble when she saw double.
Recently, a high profile, upmarket Melbourne label Googled its own name to find, unbeknown to them, they were up and running on a Chinese formalwear etailer.
The site also had other Australian designers' work for sale.
The clothes you see in David Jones and Myer fashion shows, the very best.
The site had one little trick going for it - it stated "like" Collette etc, etc.
All labels were represented using the designers' website photographs.
This means the site had not only stolen the their names and designs, but the intellectual property of photographers and models.
The Melbourne designer brand took legal action but to no avail. The company even contacted the police out of devastation.
The sore point was the designs were being offered at a almost a tenth of the Australian retail price.
This is why I can't mention names.
I'm not going to open the flood gates to Australians who think they can get a cheap way out, damaging our already declining industry.
With a little thought, a plan was hatched.
I went to the site's Facebook page, told them they were unethical; bad; had no morals; that their website would be rubbished by all of us in Australia and; there would be big trouble.
Well words are strong.
They took down the Melbourne designer overnight, and then sent me a Facebook message to ask who else they should take down!
By the time you read this, all our Australian designers will be off this hideous site.