Fat Fashion Feft: City Chic Responded, now I respond to them (about bloody time ) with added snark

First of I should of written this earlier but I'm a busy individual with a full time job and weekends devoted to drinking cask wine and catching up on my stories  various philanthropic ventures and so pointing out things which I think are injustices in the plus size fashion world just fell to the back burner but I am back and I have time to spare before Jersey Shore Joan Sutherland in Lakme comes on the television.

Anyway if you missed out the previous episodes on Why Kiki? Why? I wrote this  then I tweeted this then the amaxing Zoe from Axis of Fat wrote this then some lovely folk linked me on here and then City Chic responded. Easy huh?

And here is their response.

Thanks so much for your feedback, we are flattered that you think of our brand with fantastic designers like JIBRI. We support all plus fashion brands and want the fashion industry to include plus designers more in the industry to give them opportunity to grow their business.

My name is Lucy Doyle and I am the senior Designer at City chic, and I am also a size 18 and wear all of our clothes. I am very passionate about the plus size industry and our brand and our customers. The first response in our facebook page was from our social media team, I would like to give my response to the blog post.

In relation to the inspiration for the Plus Size ruffle Front Halter you are saying we “Copied” from Jibri I can assure you that this was not the case. The styling in black and white is classic, the halter neck shape and fitted body are shapes that work for our customer and the pleating trim is a very important trend this season. Any likeness to another design is purely coincidental and in some ways not surprising as the elements of this style are both classic and on trend.

As you can see at the links below, this fashion trend has been very strong in the regular size fashion brands this season with brands like BCBG MAX AZRIA (Bottom of Form) adopting this style.

http://bit.ly/c1CmCd
http://bit.ly/a2SDCl
http://bit.ly/a4ZqP2

We ordered this garment in March this year as we predicted this as a trend for the season. Jibri bough this out on June the 28th and by this stage we had almost completed sampling. It was not physically possible for us to have copied the garment as you state as we had designed this before JIBRI offered it for sale.
The fact that you consider us to be as on trend and fashion forward as an up and coming designer is flattering for city chic. I review each piece of our range and focus on getting the trend and fit right for our customer, and it is great to know we are up there with the top designers.

In regards to price the $90 US price does not include tax and would relate to about $100 AUD after exchange rate. If you then add the 10% GST we need to charge in Australia it would be $110. Our price at $79.95 is 30% cheaper to provide you the same quality in a retail store environment that involves significantly greater cost than on-line only retailing.

We take all feedback very seriously at City Chic and want to say thanks for being part of the plus fashion industry.

Lucy 


Now back to a normal font... now maybe a little bolder



Dear Lucy, and the rest of City Chic and any other kind people reading hey! thanks for taking the time to respond to my rantings.




Yes theres no such thing as copyright in design, and yes suggesting that you stole the design was probably strong phrase to use but there are the reasons why I was pissed off.


I was am upset because deep down inside my optimistic self would like to think that designers like yourself would be immersed as much as I am (and countless others)  in the plus size fashion market space would be aware of what the other brands both independent and chain store are bringing out into the market and taking considered measures to make sure that nobody is stepping on anybody's toes, The plus size fashion industry is small and "Stupid Optimistic Kiki" thought there was some kind of bond between the brands as you are all catering for a far too long neglected demographic.  Not to mention Bloggers that you have tried to affiliate and align with your brand and about four hundred other bloggers have referred to this design and designer several times well before the June 28th date that you refer to in your response, here, here, here and here (just do a google blog search for Jibri theres a bucket load)


I'm just going to assume someone in your design department saw it once forgot about it and then thought about it again earlier this year. I know you believe something to the contrary but logical ol me would prefer to think of it that way, and it's really the nicest and most plausible outcome.


Oh yeah while I'm here can someone talk to someone in the "naming of clothing department" because this pair of  skinny jeans should not have the same name as another Australian designers plus size skinny jeans


Love 


Kiki


P.S can you send me some free stuff, you know you wanna.