west elm holidays
i've never been a big fan of christmas colors and holiday decorations in the traditional sense, but this collection of holiday pieces at west elm looks down right festive (in a modern way). geo pillows right here, deer pillows here, polished red nesting tables here, mirror tiles here, floral pillows (similar to judy ross designs) here, similar stockings here, parsons desk here and red chair here. click here for more info.
Labels: furniture
posted by design*sponge @ 22.11.05
4 Comments:
so I will say it and get smacked I am sure...
does no one think this looks like a jonathan adler photo shoot?
and I am not even talking about ceramic here...the overall branded look of the pillows, nesting tables, everything...
and I am not so much talking about "copying" here...
but co-opting a branded look and calling it your own.
yes...adler did not invent the look.
but I bet 9 out of 10 savvy people would put his name to this image.
http://www.jonathanadler.com/shop/product.php?productid=16682&cat=346&page=1#
http://www.jonathanadler.com/shop/product.php?productid=16549&cat=249&page=1#
Anon...
You seem to have a bone to pick today.
I'm guessing you went after the Variegated guys, too. Has it ever occured to you that the "Jonathan Adler" look is co-opted, too. Ever hear of David Hicks? Ever look at Scandinavian ceramics? Everyone mines history and makes it their own (hopefully). Johnathan does not "own" this look anymore than Ryan McGuiness "owns" clip art/silhouettes.
"Has it ever occured to you that the "Jonathan Adler" look is co-opted, too"
uh..yes. I said that right in my comment.
that is the point.
I am currently in a project at work wherein we are discussing "brand identity"...and how do you claim a look as your own?
I thought I would try to see how people who read this felt about the subject..especially since often if one does not read the captions, much of the work has the same flavor and could be attributed to a number of people.
my problem seemed to be using mass design "brand names". people who made a name for themselves however they did it and built upon that success. perhaps it makes me seem "uninformed" since they are names anyone reading met home would know, instead of the more obtuse designers of our past.
I mean come on...Obviously adler didn't invent HIS old look anymore than he invented his new palm beach look. Again...my point. (though not as obvious)
I don' t mind if "everyone mines history and makes it their own"
Hell, I have been over influenced by many people. But when does it stop be an influence and start being blatant? I guess that is in the eye of the beholder. and again..I am more ticked off when it specifically relates to brands and retailers.
as a thinking person, I am completely aware that no ONE person invented anything. And by no means am I a design purist that shuns overlap or cross pollination of idea and styles.
In todays retail environent (and lets face it..that IS what we are talking about) I am curious to understand why so many people are OK not only ok with piggybacking on an idea or a trend or a look, but almost outright copying..
it seems like alot of people on here feel it is ok...or more so, that not only is it ok, but the resulting products are fabulous.
or at the least..acceptable.
how does a brand like william sonoma have integrity in it's product if it copies jonathan adler?
I guess it all comes arounf though...I was in HomeGoods/TJMAXX yesterday and saw exact copies of west elm furniture in really crappy mdf.
I suppose I should just grin and think to myself "wow, that isn't so bad...everyone does it."
just curious...(seriously) when you see these things, do you really just shrug it off like that?
does it NOT bother you?
West Elm's entire printed silk pillow program is a rip off of thomaspaul. It's great that the West Elm design team is so tuned into the market, but their coopting of other designer's work and concepts, while being funded by the Williams-Sonoma sourcing and marketing machine, leaves the small independent artists and designers that originated a look scrambling to constantly come up with something new. The small guys work hard to develop their brands and products, and West Elm as well as other chains
take the look and make the money on it. I do feel that a blog such as this, while trying to present good design at reasonable prices, should be more careful when presenting the work of larger chains. It is one thing to present a licensed program done by Thomas O' Brian for Target or similar, but presenting something like the West Elm designs, that very blatantly copy thomaspaul, Jonathan Adler, Dwell, as well as other designers in the independent world, just doesn't seem right.
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