COPY as COMPLIMENT...

ETRE COPIE: UN SINCERE COMPLIMENTS...?

"Copy is the most sincere form of compliment" says the proverb.
I agree.

When I went to the weavers "foundouk" in Tangier last week to work on our new samples, I got a real surprise: our "Gaultier" fouta, which we had introduced into our line for the January NYIGF show in New York, was hanging in another weavers "shop".

We have been copied down to the exact number of stripes and the exact colors and size, by another weaver. Well, not entirely. He did make his own black/gray version- on the right. The quality also was slightly different. It was lighter.
No apology, no embarrassment. I almost sensed a measure of pride from him when I mentioned the copying.
We had simply convinced another artisan that this must be a good style since it had been bought in quantity by us from someone else. (our artisan has been hanging our styles on the hanger in front of his shop for months in spite of our request not to do that.
We did sell this item very well and are keeping it in the line of course.
We do not feel exactly threatened by the few foutas that this shop will sell in Tangier.
No, maybe the good news is that this is a compliment- albeit a slightly annoying one at first. Not to mention a free design ready for selling. Can you blame him? of course not.

Oh well, this is Tangier after all, where you can find "Vuitton" babouches!

au revoir.