Anthropologie Accused Of Copying a Designer's Earrings After Trying to Lowball Her

A jewelry designer has accused Anthropologie of ripping off a pair of earrings she created—after she’d already declined a too-low offer for other pieces, Refinery29 reports.

Laurel Hill first became aware of the the store’s Lunar Cutout Hoop Earrings after a friend emailed her a screenshot, though the designs were so similar her friend initially thought they were Hill’s. You can see where she’d be confused:

According to Hill, Anthropologie didn’t just stealthily copy her design. She’d actually supplied pieces to Free People—also owned by Anthropologie’s parent company, Urban Outfitters Inc.—in 2015. But when the retailer offered to reorder her other pieces for a significantly lower price, she declined. As she wrote on Instagram, “these hoops were pictured in that email exchange, as well as being present on every line sheet they’ve received and used to place orders.”

Hill wrote that she repeatedly attempted to contact Anthropologie to resolve the issue, but never received a response. It was only after she posted the above complaint on Instagram that the store acknowledged her, issuing a statement to Refinery29:

“We were disappointed to discover the similarities between the earrings designed by Laurel Hill and our Lunar Cutout Hoop Earrings, which were independently designed and brought to us by an outside vendor. As a result, we have immediately suspended all sales of the earrings. We take intellectual property very seriously, both in protecting what has been developed by Anthropologie’s own artists and designers and also respecting the intellectual property and designs of others.”