A jewelery designer is furious after claiming a top piece from her new range had been ‘blatantly copied’.
Grace Tooze, the founder of Australian brand Lovestuck Lou, said she was heartbroken after finding a similar heart necklace advertised by a major accessories company for $39.95. Her version costs $170.
“The disappointment and frustration I feel because I know I put so much energy and time and a unique design into this collection just to be copied,” she ranted on TikTok.
Grace has been around for 18 months and said the sold-out Lewie necklace was her best-selling item and the signature piece of her most recent collection.
She said her life revolves around the brand and that she had invested her savings, energy and free time into her products.
Grace Tooze shows off her ‘signature’ Lewie necklace
The ‘original’ gold chain has her brand’s logo in the center and is anchored on either side of the hair instead of at the top.
The one she thinks is a copy has a hole in the center of the heart, making the pendant look more like a bead. The logo is also missing.
People were quick to condemn the young businesswoman who claimed she had ‘never been so heartbroken’.
‘Does it do anything special? “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you can claim they copied you,” one woman said.
‘This is the most unoriginal design I have seen in my life. BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS? You have a heart and chains on both sides, what are you talking about?,” one woman wrote.
“Was completely ready to support until I saw it was a generic heart design,” said another.
Others picked up on her argument that the design was unique.
She says this competitor’s chain is too similar
‘I bought a Michael Hill necklace like that when I was 14/15 – so 2017? It’s a very basic design,” one woman said.
‘HELP, I EXPECT IT TO BE A UNIQUE ART PEACE. IT’S A HEART PENDANT,” another shouted.
A third said: ‘I have one identical to the one my grandmother gave me in 1990.’
But other small business owners supported her.
‘Shout out for all the little girls who have been duped by the big boys.’ said one.
“Omg girl yeah I don’t know if I’m delulu or not but I own a small business and have seen the exact same product in many big stores selling the same thing.”
Grace took the opportunity to advertise her ‘pre-sale’ necklace in the comments as it is currently out of stock as their best seller.
Dozens of people revealed they would order the original $170 necklace through her site.