Urban Outfitters Highjacks Crown Farmer
According to clothing company Crown Farmer, the Urban Outfitter chain has "stolen" two of the company's designs, cut them up, placed red x's over them, affixed them to the backs of vintage blazers and is, apparently, marketing them without Crown Farmer's permission. The two t-shirt designs say "the stuff you huff" and "take pills and chill"
Crown Farmer Founder Bob Kronbauer responds to and Adrants inquiry, writing, "We were told by Urban that they were taking them off of the shelves but after being told that they've since been spotted in locations in Costa Mesa, CA and in Cambridge, MA, so they're still on the shelves. The original photos were taken by a loyal customer of ours who spotted them in their Denver, CO location and thought something was awry.
The last contact that we had with Urban Outfitters was a note stating that our complaint regarding trademark infringement and damage done to our brand had been sent to "upper management". In that same note we were told to stop e-mailing them about it."
Doesn't seem like Urban Outfitter is playing nice now does it?
Comments
Fuck playing nice. Sue them, it's illegal trade-mark infringement, logo, branding, whatever. Have a lawyer write a "strongly worded" lawsuit then get all their profits. That's always a nice "I told you so."
unbelievable - what bitch-ass designer at urban would think that wouldn't get noticed?! didn't kevin lyons have a big position there until recently - i would think he's down with crown farmer and could get some straight answers - i suppose once the corporate wagons get circled it's fairly hopeless unless you go to court - sue those fuckers fo' sho'!!
Brooklyn Industries essentially did the same thing with a old Dodgers hat...they add an "I" to it.
http://www.brooklynindustries.com/New-Era-Hat-P93C9.aspx
sadly, this is nothing new for uo; a couple of years back they ripped off the design of a hat sold by a philly bar (corporate hq is in philly) with a very very slight tweak.
I would take photos of the stuff at Urban Outfitters for Crown Farmer, but that would mean having to step foot into a Urban Outfitters. Not sure my stomach could handle it.
ok, so maybe crownfarmer is forgetting that urban outfitters stores banned their shirts and took a huge hit on them. there were so many complaints about the shirts, parental backlash, etc, it was not even worth it. if those shirts were ripped up, x'ed out and applied to blazers, its fair game. the shirt designs were sold and therefore belong to urban outfitters. perhaps people who sell shirts promoting a glib attitude towards drug use should quit while theyre ahead.
Shutty, perhaps you know a little bit too much inside information regarding the ordeal and you actually work for Urban Outfitters. Can you say "DAMAGE CONTROL"? Oops, too little too late.
Do not make any more complaints by email.
You need to formal letter written by a lawyer.
Do not play nice - they are being nice. They will only respond to tough.
Fight it,
Do not make any more complaints by email.
You need to formal letter written by a lawyer.
Do not play nice - they are being nice. They will only respond to tough.
Fight it,
"ok, so maybe crownfarmer is forgetting that urban outfitters stores banned their shirts and took a huge hit on them. there were so many complaints about the shirts, parental backlash, etc, it was not even worth it. if those shirts were ripped up, x'ed out and applied to blazers, its fair game. the shirt designs were sold and therefore belong to urban outfitters. perhaps people who sell shirts promoting a glib attitude towards drug use should quit while theyre ahead."
That does not give them the right to re-label them and pass it off as their own, which is what happened when they ripped of the Crown Farmers designs and applied it to Urban Outfitters blazers.
Google "Urban Outfitters" and "Infringement" and look at all the cases that pop up. This is not the first time they've done such a thing, nor will it be the last.
They also recently ripped off a Johnny Cupcakes Jet t-shirt design after the creator of JC sent samples to UO and then decided not to do business with them in the end. UO stole the designs with some color changing and sold it as their own idea.
They prey off smaller businesses because in the end the small businesses will be no match against them in court.
i think it's hilarious that they call the tee shirt "urban renewal", like fixing up old stuff and replacing it with something newer and better...like they're helping johnny cupcakes or something. wow. i think all the shirts that say urban renewal are copied?
No, you idiot. "Urban Renewal" refers to urban planning in Europe, using compulsory purchase to take over private property for civic projects. It was meant to redevelop lower socioeconomic areas, but essentially led to the destruction of communities which were replaced with highways, housing projects and vacant lots. They are not claiming to fix anything, you moron. I'd give you a few examples but I don't know if you could comprehend anything that profound. If you want to be intellectual, do some research, think outside the box, and be honest with yourself. Urban renewal allows them to tear down your house (or ego), build a highway (so they can drive right by you, because they don't give a fuck about what you think, not even enough that someone would look this shit and respond, because they still have more money than you), and put you in a housing project (where they will force you into Osh Kosh Bgosh overalls that make you look fat, and clogs that were donated by a girl/guy like the current you, who only had to shop at thrift stores for "really cool!" stuff, and had actually bought all of the "really cool!" stuff up before you got there.) Admit it, it's cool. I hope they tear up your community. Don't fight the system, you are the system. And admit it... you like Urban.
Wow, Dana. What's your disorder? It's fascinating and I'd like to study it.