Annoying pattern repeat by three local designers..... - YouLookFab Forum

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Annoying pattern repeat by three local designers.....

Sal

Veteran

Hi All

About two months ago I bought a lovely two piece off the lookbook by a NZ designer who does fairly small runs. I like it a lot - yet to wear but it is only just getting into the right season. Designer is Tuesday.

To my disappointment the very same print has been used by two other NZ designers - for different pieces. One- Ketzke - made a pattern mix sweatshirt, the other, Augustine- two dresses. All three while having a different image serve a relatively similar market.

I am sure that it doesn't matter - but I do feel disappointed. In a boutique that stocks all three labels I talked to the owner who said all three are wild with the fabric distributor.....

Has anyone else had this happen to them or have any insight into his this might happen?

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20 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

rachylou

Veteran

That’s a great two-piece dress.

Really bizarre about the fabric. I mean, well, at department stores they keep track of the gowns they sell so two people don’t wear the same dress to the same ball. Ok, balls are their own matter, but the point is, it’s a thing.

Bijou

Veteran

This outfit is gorgeous on you. However I can thoroughly understand your (and the designers) disappointment. I buy quite a lot of my clothing from Cue and they require their fabric distributors to provide them with exclusive prints - so that this does not happen. Unfortunately small designers are unable to dictate these sorts of terms and conditions to their fabric distributors and so yes I have seen it happen to smaller Australian designers too.

I remember once my friend and I caught up for drinks after work and we were wearing matching outfits (me in dress and jacket, her in pant suit with a blouse in my dress fabric) - it did feel a bit weird to match like that.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Rachy - haha yes that would be great!!

Bijou - thanks for your input. If I do end up matching a friend I will be in good company:)

Bijou

Veteran

Yes Sal - it was funny when my friend and I matched, because people thought we must work for a company and that we just had different uniforms. One guy asked us "What airline do you work for?"

Jane

Veteran

Disappointing. It looks great on you! I would write to the designer - it won't help you but may help them and I think they too will share your disappointment. (If I was a designer, I would want to know who else they were supplying fabric too and would ask when buying the pieces.)

Anonymous

Terribly disappointing.

Anonymous

That would bum me out too, when wanting a special piece. However, that outfit looks spectacular on you!
It’s a really pretty print.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

You look so cute! How often do you think you run into people wearing things by those designers? A meeting like what happened to Bijou must be really rare (and maybe her friends, like her, are more likely to shop that boutique/designer). Odd that this can happen with the kind of shop & label people think will let them avoid being “cookie cutter” similar with others.

Bijou, what a funny story. Did you come up with a snappy response, on the spot?

Jules

Veteran

Bijou, me thinks that was a line
I once arrived at a girls’ dinner to see my friend wearing a very similar hat to what I had on. I conceeded and removed mine since she arrived first!
In another instance I noticed two Canadian retailers, located just a few shops away in that mall, had the same blouses in different patterns. But one was charging 25% more. I liked their patterns better but couldn’t bring myself to try on after going back and forth between the stores to confirm they were very much the same item. These days I would just go for what I wanted, but I think I wasn’t in love with it anyway.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I think it’s hard for small designers who are at the point where they’re beyond just small print runs of custom fabric, but not yet big enough to commission or exclusively license larger ones. The selection gets even smaller if they’re taking into account things like local sourcing, sustainability in manufacturing, ship dates and quantities, etc. Even if someone shows up wearing the same fabric or recognizes is, take it as a point of pride that you’re both shopping local and in tune with the work your NZ designers are doing this season.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Sal your dress is really pretty! We have a Tuesday Label store in my favourite small mall in Milford now. Love the yellow items there but would not wear them enough.
I have seen this and did a double take. The same fabric that was in Andrea Moore ( which went under as you likely know) was then in Ivy Blu. And Ivy Blu went into the same store space as Andrea Moore had been in, so it was seeing the same fabric in the same shop site that gave me a turn! I would be disappointed too but others have explained the reasons. I thought perhaps they all went to the same fabric fair or something!

Sal

Veteran

Thanks all. I might drop a line to the designer.

I should add that all these labels design in NZ but manufacture in China. We do have some local manufacture but less and less - Kilt is one that I buy from.

I am a bit of a contrarian and seeing a group of friends all dressed the same always makes me laugh. On Friday there were three Mums at a cafe all wearing black and white striped tees and jeans and white sneakers. They all looked great but very similar. I don't have a terribly unique style but part of me does like to be different to my peers..... however if I had bought from a larger label this could happen anyway as there would be more of the print out there.

Anonymous

Completely understanding why this was disappointing, hopeful it's not a trend for the future and thank goodness at least the dress is so lovely, and so lovely on you.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The dress looks beautiful on you and I hope you will still wear it. This definitely happens among Israeli designers. I don't know why exactly but I assume they have limited access to affordable material. Or they are being cheap. Very high level designers commission their own prints, but I guess small ones have to choose from what there is. The main thing is this design looks great on you!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I love that outfit and remember when you were considering making the purchase I was very much in favour! I'm so sorry about the duplication of the pattern -- it is quite distinctive and I can see why it would bother you as well as understanding why it might appeal to several designers.

I think it would have a very different feel in a sweatshirt, so that's less of an issue. The dresses are another matter. But yours, as a two piece, is extremely versatile, so it may have more longevity in any event.

jussie

Veteran

I've seen this happen before too. Yeah, it is a little disappointing, like you I don't want to look like a carbon copy of every other person in the street lol. But mainly I just wanted to say... I LOVE AUGUSTINE INT!!! I really am nuts for their stuff.. and no one else seems to have heard of them. Their only Australian store is in Noosa.
The dress really suits you

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Jussie I think the designer's name is Kelly Coe ( without looking it up). She loves bright colours. I love the stuff too. I'm trying to shrink my wardrobe not expand it just now though. She has recently added a plus size range with a different name which has a similar aesthetic. Lovely stores in Noosa, aren't there?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This absolutely happens in retail - unless the retailer purchases the rights to the pattern, which seldom happens unless it's a large retailer.

Sal, don't worry about it! You still look as KILLER as ever.

LaPed

Veteran

I've run into this a few times, particularly with smaller/local designers. It doesn't bother me. I figure most people aren't paying nearly as much attention as I am. I'm much more bothered by anything with a giant brandname/logo on it.

Also, there are more and more small companies out there using deadstock fabrics now, which is a great way of reducing waste -- and it may also mean a certain "trickle down" effect where you see the same motifs popping up at different pricepoints and during different retail seasons.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks all! I still love the print and will enjoy wearing the pieces. After a walk around H&M, Zara and a couple of other large retailers I realised that originality is hard to find.