ZARA copied me. Compliment or Disrespect?

In the design world, most creatives seek for inspiration within their field to create new products. However, there is a fine line between copying and being inspired by the process of how something was created.

I came across a couple days ago that ZARA has used the color palette of my last footwear collection (shown at the 2016 SCAD Fashion Show in May) for their Summer 2016 (as seen on the picture). Since I can not take legal action, all I have left to say is that this re affirms 2 things:

1. I’m a trend setter. When creating this collection, the concept was at the forefront of the design brief, not following other trends or letting the market dictate what to do. Break the rules!
2. You don’t need professional experience to be an experienced designer, but a strong vision and the right attitude/mindset. I didn’t need experience to inspire other collections, but intuition and the ability to execute the right ideas.

In conclusion, trust your intuition and don’t let anyone tell you that because you don’t have professional experience, you can’t make a positive impact in your field. If others are copying you, you must be doing something right.

This quote for thought:

“Nothing truly innovative… Was ever created in the face of genuine certainty or perfect information. Because the only way to be certain before you begin is if the thing you seek to do has already been done. In which case, you are no longer creating, you are replicating.” — Jonathan Fields