It’s the never-ending debate, replica versus original, and now four of Sydney’s most exciting design brands — Arthur G, Euroluce, Workshopped and Luxmy Furniture, have joined forces to protest against the replica furniture market.
Creating a dynamic and thought-provoking installation designed by Design by Toko as part of Sydney InDesign 2015, the finished product is a sculptural ‘bonfire’ of replicas, called the Hill Street Bonfire.
A creative statement against increasing designer copies, they hope to draw focus to the iconic pieces, which are mass-produced and sold in various high street replica stores without repercussion. “It takes thousands of dollars and a huge amount of creativity and hard work to produce original design,” explains Priyanka Rao of Luxmy Furniture. “After all the prototyping, tooling and marketing expenses involved in commercialisation, it is heartbreaking to see works from our collection and fellow local businesses ruthlessly ripped off with no respect for the designer or manufacturer involved in bringing that product to life. It’s time to take a stand!”
Each business, Arthur G, Euroluce, Workshopped and Luxmy Furniture, is based firmly on a proud tradition of quality design and make, and where true craftsmanship lies at the very core of the collections they present.
Arthur G is an Australian based furniture designer and manufacturer established in Melbourne over three decades ago, with Euroluce arguably Australia’s leading distributor of high-end lighting solutions sourced largely from Europe. Joining them is Workshopped, which specialises in creative industrial design and interior pieces made in Australia, and well-known for championing many up and coming local designers, while Luxmy Furniture is the licensed manufacturer of corporate furniture collections including Woodmark and Paustian.
Hill Street Bonfire is located in the Hill Street design precinct of Surry Hills and will be on display until Sunday. For more information.
One reply on “Design brands take a bold stance against replica furniture”
I have mixed feelings on this. I think good design should be accessible for everyone not just those that can afford it. The prices for the real items blow me away – I am desperately coveting the Hay about a chair a it at $450-500 EACH unless I win the lottery it’s never going to happen so if a replica version comes out then…….I don’t know whether it’s Australian prices or the norm but these days original designer seems further and further out of reach