6.11.2009

Biting Gets You No Where - in4mation | 10 Deep

The above photo contains two models wearing two shirts from two different street wear companies - unfortunately those shirts contain designs from two entirely different companies all together. As a creator, I understand that in the year 2009 nothing is original anymore; anything and everything new is simply something old just tweaked a little, but as a consumer, I get offended when brands recycle ideas and concepts which they have no right to.

The t-shirt on the right is from 10 Deep's summer 2009 Look Book; nothing has been released from this line quite yet, unfortunately the biting damage has been done. The shirt features the phrase 'we don't play' with the iconic O and X combination that 10 Deep is recognized for, regrettably, the T also features a classic Comme des Garçons logo/theme from they're much sought after PLAY line; more specifically, a t-shirt which I happen to own. From what I can tell the folks over at 10 Deep kept the general shape of the jagged, uneven, heart as well as the eyes on the heart exactly the same; not to mention the font is almost identical. If imitation is the best form of flattery then 10 Deep sure has a lot of respect for fashion giant Comme des Garçons.

The t-shirt on the left is an in4mation shirt entitled the "no justice no peace" tee, that's cool except fashion brand Ksubi++ created, designed, built, and toured with the "Peaced off" sculpture over two years ago and the design can still be found in tag/sticker form and most all of their denim when purchased. In an interview, George Gorrow of Ksubi, had this to say about the design:

We built “Peaced Off,” a 9-foot sculpture of a businessman’s hand breaking out of the ground in the iconic two fingered peace formation accompanied by its index and middle fingers severed off at the knuckle lying beside it on the ground in a pool of blood — the perfect combination of politics, pop, and B-grade horror."

I guess it wouldn't be such a big deal if anyone that knew anything about the brand didn't know that Ksubi would never license out this design for any reason. The "Peaced Off" design was made into sculpture and taken around the country; they turned the whole ordeal into a pictorial book and short film. Unfortunately, there's no excuse for lack of originality, especially when it’s in the form if putting a photograph in illustrator and cropping out a cuff.

sign of the times from Ksubi on Vimeo.


Some may say these brands were just 'citing' or paying homage to brands which are bigger and obviously more established then they are but at what point does paying respects become 'borrowing ideas'? Biters beware; we noticed. Serious thanks to Jordan over at Give & Take for the background info on Ksubi, once I brought this tee to his attention he did some serious homework; I didn't even use half of what you sent over man!