Duck. Over here at the Apartment Therapy offices we unknowingly wandered into a small tiff this week, when we posted that Barlas Baylar's Hudson Furniture had just opened in MePa (see New Furniture in MePa).
The trouble (for us) started when we recieved a phone call that same night from another furniture store owner in SoHo. The caller said she had read our post and thought that we might want to take it down, because we wouldn't want to be associated with "that guy" over at Hudson Furniture. "What do you mean?" We asked, realizing she might be missing the nature of blogs, which can move rather quickly....
"I don't like to say bad things about people," she said. She was uncomfortable on the phone. We prodded her. She then told us that Barlas Baylar (Hudson Furniture) had worked for Tucker Robbins for a long time before Barlas suddenly left, only to reappear with his own store which was exactly like Tucker's....
That store, Hudson Furniture, was such a shocking display of skulduggery, she said, that "people were really upset about it." Barlas had not only copied Tucker's designs, he had stolen pictures from his website representing furniture he didn't yet have. This was getting out of hand.
So, we called Tucker.
Tucker Robbins speaks slowly, with a rich English accent. "What was going on?" We asked him. He, too, was clearly uncomfortable to be suddenly talking to a complete stranger about his professional life, but he didn't stop.
"I trained Barlas and I love him, but....." But what? But he was speaking with lawyers to see if he could stop Barlas from copying him and profiting from his style.
"Is he copying your style?" We asked.
"Yes." Tucker said, on many levels, from the shape of his furniture to the "look and feel" of his website. He called Barlas' stealing "hard to prove" but referred to it as copying the "trade dress" of another store. We reflected upon the fact that our original tip had been from a reader who recommended Hudson as having "the same fab style as Tucker Robbins." Hmmmm.
Tucker also said that it was very difficult to successfully sue someone for copying your style, but that it was possible when someone can show that Hudson is "confusing customers" with Tucker Robbins. He also said that he had long wanted to move his own store back to MePa (where it had once been), but now Barlas had made that impossible.
All of a sudden, we wondered why everyone was fighting? Wouldn't two stores be better for everyone's business than one - like all the Indian restaurants on 6th street??? But then we thought this was a stupid question to ask Tucker Robbins, who was talking about a lawsuit.
Then, we called Barlas Baylar over at Hudson.
Barlas speaks quickly, passionately, with the air of someone who believes what he is doing but knows that others may disagree. On the phone, he was extremely clear, vehemently clear, in fact. "My store is completely different. It is completely new. It is nothing like Tucker Robbins, and I don't want to be associated with his store." He then went on to tell me that he was inspired by Nakashima, but that his look was "very unique and sleek." It was not "modern primitivism," like Tucker's.
We told him that we had spoken with Tucker. "Yes?" He said. We told him that Tucker said that he loved him, and that he was upset that....
"He said that?" He inturrupted. "Yes." We said.
We had a short conversation, and then Barlas must have gone online to look at Apartment Therapy for the first time, because he called me back five minutes later.
Rather than compliment us on it's neat style and cool posts, he asked us firmly to "Please fix that post you wrote about me. I do not want to be associated with Tucker Robbins." We told him that we could fix many things, but that we were quoting a reader and couldn't change that. He was frustrated, but trying hard as hell to be nice. He wanted us to know that in no uncertain terms, his store was totally different from Tucker Robbins. We listened patiently to all the ways it was different. And then we thought we were done.
He kept calling yesterday and today. We didn't answer the phone, and our officemates knew his voice and everything about his store by the end of the day. We finally spoke.
"Will you please fix that post on your website that compares me to Tucker Robbins? I don't want to be associated with his store. My store is completely different. My furniture is very contemporary, very sleek." We explained again that we couldn't change what other people said, but that we were writing something new that would make it clear that he had nothing to do with Tucker Robbins. "Thank you." he said, "Would you please do that tonight?" We would try, we said, we were very busy.
So, for the record: Hudson Furniture Inc. in Mepa, which is having its opening party next Thursday, October 7th, is NOTHING like Tucker Robbins.
It is totally different from Tucker Robbins.
Now, you decide.
All pieces above alternate and are from each store's websites. Hudson's are marked, and Robbins' are not.
Ps. We don't think it is directional either.
MGR
To expand the legal aspect of this:
1. A lot of employees sign non-competition agreements nowadays. When you go to work for a person you pick up a lot of inside information about their business, such as customer contacts (remember Samantha's assistant on Sex and the City who quit, stole her contacts, and became a rival?) or new techniques or manufacturer contacts. Because most people agree it would be pretty wrong for someone to go to a company, learn as much as they can, and then turn around and use this info to compete and drive them out of business, the law allows employers to create noncompetition agreements that are reasonable in time and scope.
Now if someone went to work for me and I paid them to develop a product I own what I paid for.
If someone is using a similar design or style to what I have that might be infringement (what's the restaraunt in Coming to America that's supposed to be a fake MacDonald's- McDougal's?). If someone is using pictures from my website that's at least copyright infringement. The trademark infringement standard is usually a likelihood of consumer confusion.
This is a tough one in furniture and design. Furniture, like fashion apparel, is subject to industry-wide trends. I can't manufacture a shirt that says "FUBU" on it because FUBU is someone's trademark. But that doesn't mean that I can't create a shirt in a similar style. Some things that are pretty unique to one source- like Doc Martens or Uggs- might be able to get protection from copying. But typical Manolo Blahniks that (when you can't see the label) look just like Stuart Weitzman or Jimmy Choo aren't unique enough to be protected from copying.
And in each case you look at the circumstances and the alleged infringer's intent. This one sounds like it could be a case of the second guy trying to trade off the first guy's fame.
Well, when your personal business is tied to your commercial business, you can only expect that it will eventually be aired for the public. If Apartment Therapy had not been the one, then someone else would have brought this dispute out. I agree, lawsuit or not, these are two legitimate businesses and it is for the consumer to decide. Their pieces are similar, any consumer or critic could have drawn that parallel. Who knows, maybe if Nakashima were alive he would be upset to be associated with Barlas. I am happy there was such a reaction, it shows the influence and credibility of apartmenttherapy.com - one of my favorite websites. Sometimes it's nice to know people care :)
That's one for the memoirs.
This is so Woodward & Bernstein of you (with a little Cindi Adam thrown in)!! My prediction is that there will be an article about this in New York magazine within the month.
But even IF Mr. Fast-talker is duplicating Mr. Slow-talker's designs IDENTICALLY, BUT managing to do it for a lower price point, I think it's Mr. Slowtalker who has some 'splaining to do. Competition is good. And Tucker's stuff, while gorgeous, has been priced way out of reach of way too many...
I'm definitely no proponent of design plagiarism, but the world of interiors has pretty much been built on the concept of "knock-off."
Plus, how do we know for sure that the style claimed by Tucker was not actually designed by Barlas' in the first place?
Given that any fool can leave a message anonymously here, I suspect it's all too easy for either man to game the comments. I think I'll take anything in this thread with a very large grain of salt.
Even if Barlas' designed Tucker's furniture while in the employ of Tucker, Tucker would "own" the design, because it would probably qualify as a work-for-hire (sorry to get all legal). That said, Tucker probably didn't invent the concept of a wooden slab table either, and unless he registered the designs (design patent?) like Hermes does with its Birkins, Barlas may well be within his rights to knock off the stuff (although he's claiming his stuff is completely original)...
I also think that neither gentlemen can lay claim to the drum table with carved details. Pretty sure THAT design has been around for a century or two...
signed,
any fool
Saw Tucker on TV one time and frankly am not impressed. Maybe it plays better in person, but it seems far from Nakashima. Slab table on two parallel slabs as legs? How can anyone claim that to be original?
Hmm, my lawyer can spell "intellectual".
Just sayin'
This is a biased article. Although you called everyone connected to the story, still with the snide comments, the article remains biased. I looked at both commpanie's sites and there is no resemblence whatsoever aside from the fact they both work with wood. I don't think this website is at all reliable...
Who's John Muller and does he have anything,anything, to do with Hudson Furniture Inc.? This is VERY important.. please get back to me.
Thank you,
N.
I visit the Hudson site and find interesting furniture there and also I like the stuff here and good information that you have provided. I will probably recommend this to my friends.
view recliner chairs's profile
The issue of design theft is a tricky one. The styles in which these two designer work is so similar to other designers as well.... Eric Mangini, John Houshmand and Tyler Hays at BDDW to name three. So who has stolen from who... I think we can all agree they have stolen from old world japanese craftsman.... who have been making slab wood furniture for centuries if not longer. Nakashima brought the style to the US years ago and in the past ten years the style has again become popular thus the emergence of many designers utilizing the style.
I have noticed over several years that Hudson Furniture has been selling products which have looked similar if not exact copies of work by other designers. I just assumed Hudson was a showroom featuring these artists. I guess I am wrong. I look at the slab table with cast metal legs by Hudson and I see a copy of BDDW with a slightly different detail on the legs. I saw an adv. by Hudson which showed a slab table with a glass slab lower support which looks exactly the same as a Houshmand piece. I just assumed Hudson was representing them. Someone correct me if I am wrong. If he is not representing them then he is stealing. Now... like always... what can be done about it?
view robertaustingonzalez's profile
I am so confused, I have been to this guy's (barlas) website. I did not see any similarities with Tucker Robbins' nor BDDW's pieces. Actually, I love the designs at Hudson Furniture, they look amazing and unique (thank you Apartment Therapy)
I looked at Robert Austin Gonzalez' website, his pieces are identical to Eames stools, did he buy the rights to manufacture them, or did he knock them off?
Why is everyone picking on this guy Barlis? because he is successful? This is what happens all the time, when someone is successful, everyone attacks that person! Am I wrong?
Please check www.hudsonfurnitureinc.com and see it yourself. Let's be fair. Design Lover
view USA Design's profile
i think all this bickering is bull&%#@, should burger king sue mcdonalds because they both sell similar burgers? thats whats wrong with this country,,everyone wants to sue someone else for some stupid sh&% they cant even prove and maybe even fabricated in the first place.We are all trying to make money and live,dont hate on a guy because he is resourseful and talented.focus on bigger problems in this world and leave Mr.Baylar alone,cuz from what I see he has the hottest pieces around for sure and are probably well thought out not just copied.Find someone else to take your stress out on.
view vittuccio506's profile
Check out Hudson's yelp reveiws - only the tip of the iceberg. Baylar is a first class d-bag.
view southside modern's profile