Published
Author
Lucy Kirkwood
RISING ABOVE THE COPYCAT ERA
RISING ABOVE THE COPYCAT ERA
ORIGINALITY = SURVIVAL
Being copied is the tax you pay for being first or being exceptional. Every industry faces it, from fashion to homeware to beauty. In this glorious era where AI can replicate almost anything, and the line between a Pinterest moodboard and a finished brand is blurrier than ever, beige sameness has never been easier to produce.
That’s why originality isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s survival. The difference between brands that are forgotten and brands you can’t replace. Real originality isn’t just aesthetics. It’s an attitude. A POV. It’s taking risks and being uncomfortably bold. An unpopular opinion, a BTS process, a story only you could tell, a rogue obsession that magnetises a minority.
People love BTS because it reveals that depth. It builds intrigue and offers insight into creative and business processes that usually stay hidden. This is one of the fundamentals of building a brand that can’t be replicated: tell stories only you can tell, share moments that are uniquely yours.
Personally, I’m a little obsessed with watching things get made. Take this Miu Miu piece for example - an intricate layering of techniques dedicated entirely to maintaining leather. The magic behind the final product often lives in the details no one else sees.
What you might think is boring, niche or too detailed is often exactly what magnetises your people.
That’s the only way to evolve.
Image Credit: Miu Miu
ORIGINALITY = SURVIVAL
Being copied is the tax you pay for being first or being exceptional. Every industry faces it, from fashion to homeware to beauty. In this glorious era where AI can replicate almost anything, and the line between a Pinterest moodboard and a finished brand is blurrier than ever, beige sameness has never been easier to produce.
That’s why originality isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s survival. The difference between brands that are forgotten and brands you can’t replace. Real originality isn’t just aesthetics. It’s an attitude. A POV. It’s taking risks and being uncomfortably bold. An unpopular opinion, a BTS process, a story only you could tell, a rogue obsession that magnetises a minority.
People love BTS because it reveals that depth. It builds intrigue and offers insight into creative and business processes that usually stay hidden. This is one of the fundamentals of building a brand that can’t be replicated: tell stories only you can tell, share moments that are uniquely yours.
Personally, I’m a little obsessed with watching things get made. Take this Miu Miu piece for example - an intricate layering of techniques dedicated entirely to maintaining leather. The magic behind the final product often lives in the details no one else sees.
What you might think is boring, niche or too detailed is often exactly what magnetises your people.
That’s the only way to evolve.
Image Credit: Miu Miu
