The Thin Line Between Inspiration and Imitation: A Perspective from the Design Industry
Thomas Miang Perez
CEO @ Rosendahl Design Group US | Strategic Advisor, Business Owner/Investor
February 10, 2025
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but is it really? Or is it just stealing, pettiness, and outright annoying?
Recently, I came across a product from an American company—one that is well-established and reputable enough to create its own unique designs. Instead, they have chosen to copy or take heavy inspiration from some of Bjørn Wiinblad's designs that we launched under his name brand in the past couple of years. It is disappointing to see brands with substantial resources resorting to imitation rather than innovating. The featured design speaks for itself, but I’ll leave it to you, the readers, to decide whether this is merely innocent inspiration or an opportunistic and cheap move to capitalize on others success.
Rosy Meadow Collection by US Brand
Throughout my entire career in the design and housewares industry, I have found myself on the receiving end of copycat behavior. I’ve been involved in more than 50 legal cases, signing hefty checks to attorneys to defend and fight for the protection of our designs and innovations. It is an expensive process, which is why many companies choose not to pursue their rights. Because it's so expensive to defend and fight knockoffs in court, it often prevents a lot of people from pursuing what is rightfully theirs. Many companies that engage in copying rely on this fact, knowing that smaller businesses and individuals may not have the financial resources to fight back.
I have seen countless cases of copying, replication, and reinterpretation. Some instances fall into a grey area—lightly inspired and open to interpretation—while others are blatant one-to-one knockoffs and even counterfeit products. At the end of the day, preserving originality is critical for fostering ongoing creativity and motivation among designers, artists, and developers. If companies and individuals that bring innovation to the industry are left unprotected, the incentive to create disappears, leaving a market flooded with uninspired, derivative work where we all lose.
There is a common notion that Chinese factories are the main culprits when it comes to copying designs, but this is a cliché that requires a more nuanced perspective. While many copies originate from Asia, the reality is that in 99% of cases, the initiators—the companies that commission, buy, and import these products—are based in Europe, the U.S., or Australia. This distinction is obviously crucial in identifying the true infringers.
Copying has become easier and cheaper than ever—anyone with a sample or a high-quality image can send it overseas and have it reproduced within weeks. This trend is particularly prevalent among businesses that lack original ideas and/or the resources to invest in their own designs. Rather than building something unique, they choose to take shortcuts by replicating the work of others.
At Rosendahl Design Group, we take immense pride in our portfolio of eight magnificent Danish heritage brands. Among them, one of the most iconic and recognizable is Bjørn Wiinblad. A designer who lived from 1918 to 2006, Wiinblad left an unparalleled impact on Danish design over his 87-year life. He was a multidisciplinary artist who worked across nearly every medium imaginable. His creations range from designing for the famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen to crafting advertising posters for U.S. travel agencies, from designing Neiman Marcus’ Mermaid Restaurant in Dallas, designing tableware and artware for companies like Rosenthal and Royal Copenhagen, designing costumes and stage sets for several theater productions, and much more. Unlike the minimalist aesthetic commonly associated with Danish design today, Wiinblad was a true maximalist—a rebel against the stark, restrained movements of his time, instead focusing on joyful designs that made people smile.
Since our company’s inception in the U.S. two years ago, we have been proud members of Be Original Americas (BOA). BOA’s mission strongly aligns with our own, and within the organization, we stand alongside hundreds of global companies, including, MillerKnoll, Steelcase, Fritz Hansen, Georg Jensen, and many more.
Be Original Americas is a non-profit creative advocacy group committed to informing, educating, and influencing manufacturers, artisans, design professionals, and consumers about the economic, ethical, and environmental value of authentic design.
All members of BOA share a common struggle—being copied due to the great innovations we have created. However, the best thing we can do is together to communicate and educate consumers on what constitutes original design versus imitation. We leave the final judgment to the market, but one thing remains clear: If we do not continue to protect originality and creative integrity, we risk eroding the very foundation of design and innovation. And that, ultimately, benefits no one.
By, Thomas Miang Perez, February 10, 2025