Sunday, March 4, 2012

Be Inspired, Don´t Copy

Ohhh I have been wanting to write this post for so long, but have been too scared to do it. But today I read a beautiful post from Courtney Dellafiora  (a lovely friend of mine), and I knew, it was time to tell a little about, how I feel.

When I started my brand Jannie Baltzer 2,5 years ago, I was totally on my own. But I had a vision, and I knew, I had something unique to share (please don´t hate me for being so blunt). It has NOT been a smooth ride, and I know, that I only have succeeded by hard work.

I LOVE the creative process, and all the hard work before I launch a new collection. Many many hours have been spent drawing, playing with colors and looking at old movies. Even finding THAT right piece of fabric can take weeks (even months). But this is my time - this is my chance to tell my story as a designer, and to share with you my thoughts & dreams!

In the bridal/fashion industry, it is pretty common to copy other designers work, and there is nothing you can do about it. But it makes me sad, when I work so hard to create something unique, and I see almost the same piece from other designers. Not a 100% copy, but there is no doubt, where they got their inspiration from. I guess, I should feel flattered (and dont get me wrong, I am truly grateful, when people tell me, that they like my work), but I get a little sad, when I discover other designers copying my designs.

Truly successful people are the ones who worked hard, didn’t take shortcuts and didn’t steal.

With love...
Jannie
Ps: I have already asked the lovely Courtney Dellafiora, if I could use some of her text.

6 comments:

  1. Jannie - Oh isn't this so true, and I can only imagine the feeling. But don't worry too much about those who steel, because they will run out of steam faster than you think. They just won't be able to keep up. You have your creativity and passion in you, and in the end, that is what will make you rise above and beyond all of the others. Big hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What Audrey, and the girls on Facebook said! I agree!

    I just saw how a photographer plagiarised a complete website, text and all, from one of my favourite photographers. I get so mad! But usually, the customers know the difference, and copycats get found out.

    I have seen some 'new' headpiece designs around, where my first thought was "hmmm... that one looks an awful lot like one of Jannie's pieces", but I just know that your work - especially when seeing it in person and touching it with my hands - is still so much better, more luxurious than the work of the copycats.

    Keep your head up - as Audrey says, the others will run out of steam.

    ReplyDelete
  3. on the same note, I actually 'betrayed' an industry colleague a few weeks ago, a wedding planner, when I saw she had published images she did not have the rights to and showed work of others' as if it was her own. So I 'ratted her out' to the one's she had 'stolen' from!
    I don't usually like telling on people, but I just couldn't let her get away with it.
    I can't wait to shoot my models this spring wearing your pieces, Jannie, and I know that once I get my hands on them they will be beyond comparison :)
    Keep up the good work;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much for the lovely comments and your support! It is not only about myself, but as you said Elizabeth, it happens to so many people in the bridal/fashion industry.
    All I can say is, when they copy something, I will just design something different :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jannie, you do an awesome job and I completely agree with Audrey. If you don't create by yourself, you are destined to arrive second... Don't worry about them even I know how made it can make you when someone "steal" your designs!

    I'd like to make my congratulations - you have been picked as a winner of The Versatile Blog Award. Please check the blog of Matrimonio in Corso (http://matrimonio-in-corso.blogspot.com/) for further information.
    Enjoy!

    Annette

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi! I just found your website, a friend told me about it. I just made my first collection of fabric wedding bouquets and now Im going to start designing matching headpieces.

    I tell you one thing and that is that I would never copy your work, because its so totally magic and I would never be able to do what youve done, because I can see that its straight from your heart. What a talent you have! Copy cats wont survive for long as written above, they would never be able to get that magic in to their designs, because that magic belongs to you.

    Love the way you place your designs on your models, close to the face, it almost looks like its a part of the model some times.

    Take care!

    Lisa

    ReplyDelete