I don’t see anything wrong with making your own version. How do you know she won’t go and buy an actual leather harness once she’s more financially able? Projects like this are kind of like placeholders until you can buy the real thing.

Besides, she made one harness. For the five or so people who will actually go out and make their own harness, there will be 10 more people who will see that link and buy the real thing. The blogger actually did that designer a favor by putting a link to her design in a very public place. So, in fact she’s probably more than made up for the one harness by generating revenue for the designer.

Besides, there will always be copies in the fashion world, its up to the designer to create something so beautiful that people would rather pay the extra money to just to have it then to buy a replica.

Anyway to the blogger, thanks so much for the tutorial. Or rather just for the idea. I’d never thought of a harness being a fashion accessory. I’d add grommets to mine though. And maybe some lacing between the rows!

Oh, and to those going on about getting permission to use the photo, I’m almost certain that it is legal to use a copyrighted photo for the purpose of review or commentary. Which is what this blog is.

you’re ridiculous! You lash out at 90% of the people on here with insults of no validity and contradict yourself from paragraph to paragraph. If you buy from etsy you ARE supporting artists; and Norwegian Wood is always referring to items she’s picked up at H&M so do your homework!

Most everyone is upset that this “fashionista” didn’t get permission to use the photo. Yes, for those out there who can make their own they probably can/will but $45.00 is not a price that send you to miss a rent payment. If you can’t afford the $45.00 to get the real deal than you probably shouldn’t be buying the elastic from Joanne’s and should reconsider balancing your budget. Or perhaps doing one of those crazy things people have forgotten about… SAVING for the real deal!

Nixon,

Using anyone’s photos for mass publication is wrong; even if they’ve used it already on their own website you can’t just turn around and use it yourself!

I agree with most of the people out there. First time on this site and it will definitely be my last!

What a bunch of whiney fuckers.

No matter how many DIY things HM posts, there’s only maybe five people out there who will actually whip out ye olde sewing machine and make it.

The rest of you pale lazy snots will just continue to whine from behind your computer screen about the travesties befalling independent designers, but never support them yourselves.

I bet your closets are full of couture etsy gems, and absolutely nothing from labels like H&M and Lip Service (which, if you didn’t know, are labels based on the trickle down theory of fashion).

There are tons of awesome and talented crafters and artists out there, and many of them come up with fresh ideas. And some of us, like I said, stand on the shoulders of giants — many “original” ideas are actually reconceptions or reconstructions of someone else’s brilliant moments of genius, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. It astounds me when I see people all full of themselves, thinking their ideas cannot and should not be duplicated because of some overblown sense of worth. You know ideas can’t be copyrighted, yeah? Think about the reason behind that. You learnt your skills from somewhere, didn’t you, hypothetical person? What would the world come to if no one shared their knowledge and ideas?

And finally, let’s just reiterate this key point: NixonSixx linked to the original artisans, complimented their designs and gave tons of credit, acknowledging that their designs are superior to her on-a-shoestring homage. That is the important part that sets this creative indulgence apart from so many out there — it’s a tribute, not a travesty.