Paperchase have updated their Contact Us page again, and although no one but the parties involved can attest to the veracity of the dates in question, one can’t help but wonder as to the ‘reasonable precautions’ taken when so many of us, and many of us non-artists can see the similarities in the artwork.
The design studio in question can deny plargiarism but there it is – work that is strikingly similar. Will Paperchase be doing business with them again after this?
Paperchase�s position regarding the allegations of �copying� made against the Company today is as follows:
Above all, we would like to apologise to any customers upset or angered by this allegation against us. Paperchase takes all reasonable precautions to check that designs we source or buy from individual designers or agencies are from reputable sources. In this case, we would like to confirm that Paperchase bought the artwork in question, in good faith, in October 2008, from a well-known central London Design Studio along with a number of other designs.
The illustrator who is making the allegation made us aware of her concerns in November 2009 and we duly responded to her in early December, since when we had heard nothing�.until today. Back in November 2009, we spoke at length to the Design Studio in question and they categorically denied any plagiarism.
It is worrying that such an allegation can create such reaction and again, Paperchase apologises for any ill-feeling caused.
Too many big companies are seemingly involved in ‘this’, and the statements all smack very much of “it’s not our fault” and “we bought it from someone else…”
This is what happens when companies lose the very heart and soul of their business and go after profits at the expense of product pride.
I think that now it is even more prudent that people shop with their hearts and appreciate paying decent money for a product created with love, time and effort rather than some shameless reproduction.
Paperchase will now go for me the same way that others have before and will not have any more of my hard earned money.
This is ridiculous. The design company obviously used the image as a starting point, but it was changed, most importantly in tone and also was apart of a bigger, different and, in my opinion, better image. You could never mix the two up. She hasn’t lost out on anything at all. I can’t remebemr who said ‘its not where you take it from, it’s where you take it to’ but he/she was right. If you’re against this you’re also against collage and sampling.