Holy Fuckbuckets I am so pissed off right now I'm writing this on my tiny phone screen on the way home from work GAHHHHH!
Look at this top from City Chic's new Spanish Rose line! it's cute, sassy, versatile and oh wait... It's fucking stolen!!!!!!
Does it look familiar? Oh yeah it's a blatant rip off of Independent Plus Size designer Jibri's trademark halter shirt.
Now you are probably thinking "oh Kiki! you are just being all mean about City Chic because you are grumpy because you have low blood sugar and you really just want a cookie" and then I would scream "piss off! who asked you? where's this cookie?"
But this isn't ooh City Chic's " let's make something inspired by Sass and Bide because they'll never make a plus size version" this isn't "let's remake a version of a Roland Mouret galaxy dress that's not only plus sized but cheaper too so we can make a great style accessible to the masses"
This is the theft of the design of small Plus sized retailer who provided this shirt custom made at a reasonable price in a variety of Plus sizes and then has the sheer gall to offer the Mass produced option at close to the exact price! No extension of the sizes offered by Jibri no original print or colourway just plain theft.
Now most of you will probably read this go yeah that kinda sucks and continue to shop there because of the lack of plus size options (or maybe you are holding out on the criticism so they will send you stuff to review...ducks) But if you are the slightest bit peeved pass the word on about this so that people know that Jibri provides great unique styles for fats and That City Chic didn't come up with this design.
To quote Derryn Hinch;
SHAME City Chic SHAME
Edited to add:
Thanks for the publicity and linkage folks I was wondering why all of a sudden more than two people a day were visiting here;
I particularly love the part of City Chic's comment "it's here for you to have, not only for plus sized ladies to wear, but at a fraction of the price!!!"
All I can say is that the Style was already being offered to Plus size ladies and yes $79.95 from $90 (usd to aud is a frickin dream conversion rate at the moment) is a fraction (is it a decent saving on the original?) so you are right thankyou City Chic for offering me an item that is ten bucks cheaper.
And yes I am aware that there is no such thing as copyright in fashion and the use of the word Rip Off is probably not appropriate (and probably neither is the use of blatant theft but I'm a blogger and whatever for Journalistic integrity and shit) but it doesn't mean it's right or fair, it's one thing to be inspired by Chanel/ Gucci/ Insert big fashion house here, it's completely another to be inspired to design and to "style" a clothing item by a lone small business designer that had been heavily promoted by Bloggers that your brand itself has tried to align itself with.
Edited to add:
Thanks for the publicity and linkage folks I was wondering why all of a sudden more than two people a day were visiting here;
I particularly love the part of City Chic's comment "it's here for you to have, not only for plus sized ladies to wear, but at a fraction of the price!!!"
All I can say is that the Style was already being offered to Plus size ladies and yes $79.95 from $90 (usd to aud is a frickin dream conversion rate at the moment) is a fraction (is it a decent saving on the original?) so you are right thankyou City Chic for offering me an item that is ten bucks cheaper.
And yes I am aware that there is no such thing as copyright in fashion and the use of the word Rip Off is probably not appropriate (and probably neither is the use of blatant theft but I'm a blogger and whatever for Journalistic integrity and shit) but it doesn't mean it's right or fair, it's one thing to be inspired by Chanel/ Gucci/ Insert big fashion house here, it's completely another to be inspired to design and to "style" a clothing item by a lone small business designer that had been heavily promoted by Bloggers that your brand itself has tried to align itself with.
Welcome to all you lovely people who are visiting me for the first time today alot of you that are clicking here from the Facebook link
I don't have much else to say about this but while you are here come have a look at some interesting links to the left and some wonderful communities that are related to being Plus sized
- the fat-o-sphere http://feeds.feedburner.com/FatFuNotesFromTheFatospherehttp://community.livejournal.com/fatshionista/ or the Fatshionista flickr pool
Or that you can find a variety of Plus size stores from Overseas and order more and get it delivered for cheaper from Evans.co.uk, ASOS.com, Yoursclothing.co.uk, Dorothy Perkins, Torrid and Faith 21 or even something Custom made on Etsy and could get a whole outfit delivered for the price of a mini dress from City Chic.
Better still swing by these great Aussie brands
There is a surprising lot of choice out there beyond City Chic and trust me when I say City Chic will get better if you start shopping around more.
- Posted using BlogPress from my phone
Location:,Enmore,Australia