leatheroo Report post Posted January 21, 2008 My daughter has seen a bag on the internet that she wants me to make. Can i copy someones work, maybe change it a bit? Is it ok to copy this bag but only for her and not to sell? What do i do if someone wants me to make another one to buy? Could this be called being influenced by someones style but adding my own flair? The bag is $190 to buy and i know i could make it for about $30. thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaverslayer Report post Posted January 21, 2008 If your not "Marketing" it you should have no problem. If you were to make them and sell them in stores, then you would have a problem. Make your daughter one, and make her happy. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esantoro Report post Posted January 21, 2008 There seem to be plenty of companies marketing their versions of a Hermes' Birkin bag. Who knows, maybe Hermes was "inspired" by another company's bag. Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted January 21, 2008 leatheroo, if you're not marketing it for sale, there should be no problem. Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
broncobuster Report post Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) you can make stuff similar. change something about it. color, handle, type of leather etc. as long as its not exact and you dont use there logo. logo is usually trademarked but not the bag usually. but if you change it slightly no infringemant. thats how the copy cat companys do it. like coach. they have the C logo on the bag all over or on a tag. theres a copy cat they look the same but use a G instead. remember dont make it exactly the same. do your own slight alteration Ive done the budweiser hitch(painted on saw blades) but there trademark is in there name not the horses n wagon. so no budweiser logo its ok. Edited January 21, 2008 by broncobuster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillB Report post Posted January 21, 2008 Just wanted to give you some interesting information on a copy write issue that came up a few years ago dealing with Harley Davidson. HD wanted to take someone to court over their use of the Bar and Shield commonly used by HD. Turns out the Bar and Shield design (not the lettering inside) is actually owned by Pennsylvania Railroad and HD has license to use it. So Penn Railroad told HD they could not take the culprit to court but Penn RR would. So the lesson to be learned is that although you might take the HD Bar and Shield and replace the Harley Davidson with something else, it is the Bar and Shield, itself that is protected. As previously noted about personal use and not resale, I have yet to hear of anyone who does it for personal use only being taken to court. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
