‘Diva’ Steals Artists Designs!

SO anyone who knows me knows I am a fan of shanalogic.com. It has been brought to the attention of all her shoppers that Diva (yes that accessories store that you see in pretty much any Westfield Shopping Centre in Australia) has been ripping off products and designs sold in her shop and mass producing and re-selling rubbish versions. As a loyal Shanalogic.com fan (and Shana fan to boot) I am annoyed, outraged, disgusted and appalled all in one!

Shanalogic.com is an online store that specialises in all things handmade and indie. From clothes, jewellery, artwork & lots & lots of accessories. Shana offers buyers the opportunity to purchase quality handmade products that come from independant, amazing artists from all around the world. If you want to know more about her site - VISIT IT! You won't be disappointed! You get fabulous customer care and the pieces you buy are of the highest quality and are oh-so-adorable!

I don't even know how to word my outrage with Diva, not only are they exploiting these awesome hardworking artists but they are doing it in a cheap, nasty, crappy way. The rip offs are bad quality and look cheap compared to the originals. So far no one has recieved any responses from Diva (even after multiple people emailing them) regarding their blatant rip off of some of these products (down to the last bead).

See Shanas original post about the issue (complete with more photos like the one above):

http://shanalogic.com/wordpress/?p=2815

Show your support and leave a comment.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?

Get the word out there - email everyone you know who is an artist, designer, or interested in art or jewellery. Post on Facebook, Twitter, LiveJournal, other blogs, any site you are part of where people will read what you say.

All designers need to take a look at Diva's website and check if they are ripping off any of YOUR designs.

If you have a local Diva store, go in, take some photos of any suspicious items, post photos on the facebook group
(http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112878499771) to make sure that if someone is being ripped off, they find out!

Diva's website is: http://www.diva.net.au/ Feel free to contact them and let them know how you feel about this! Anyone who has a Diva store in their town (mostly Australia and NZ, but they have some overseas stores too!) should call their local paper or, even more likely to support you, indie magazines & other publications, and ask if they are interested in running a story about how Diva is ripping off independent artists.

Last of all AVOID DIVA. I will admit that a large chunk of my "cheap" jewellery is from Diva but I am quite happy to never buy anything from them again. I have earrings, head pieces, bangles, beaded necklaces, chunky rings and more from them but I'm determined to NOT support a company who steals from artists. I may only be one person and I may not make much of a difference but please help do your part to support artists.

I'll be doing some covert ops when I am in a shopping centre from now on. I'll take a look in Diva to see if I can spot any other Shanalogic pieces and I'll be taking photos to post. I've seen the love-o-meter necklace in their store one day whilst wearing the love-o-meter necklace (their crappy version didn't have the spinny arrow).

Support artists - Shop indie & feel good about every purchase!

Love & sparkles

x x x

Brooke