I have a fashion house of my own, and since Ive started, Ive had a huge amount of replica designers steal my photos non stop. Some remove my watermark completely, others add they’re own and some simply state that I stole their designs. I have even had girls tell their clients that they get their work done from the same vendors in markets as me, although I have my workshop (I have no idea where they’re getting their stuff made from, but I went to a market on a tip by someone and yes, many many replicas were there. Whats worse is that girls have photo proof of that and tell their clients that they get their stuff made by the same people as I do, whereby fooling their clients into thinking they’ll get the same thing).
The only reason I never came into this field by working as a replica designer, is because its always better to create your own work and present it. It builds a certain level of trust between a client and a designer as they know you have the capacity to create those designs. There are replica designers I have contacted to remove the photos and they agree to it very nicely, others who I’m friends with and don’t put my photos on (Nadias Visage for example, shes a total sweetheart. I never asked her not to but she didnt either way), and some who downright rude with me and think its their right to do whatever they want with my photos.
Every shoot requires a great deal of money. First you have the model, then the photographer, not to mention all the dresses you made as samples, the coordinator, rent for location and of course refreshments and more throughout the day. After spending so much money, its understandable why I would get angry whenever someone uses my work. I have come across a few replica designers who have been nothing but seriously rude to me, and it makes me question their work ethics. As you have seen in my previous posts on my own thread, there was a girl Shagufta who came as part of dressup desis. It took me a very short time to find out she was the Banawat n more owner who disappeared. She had my photo as her display and I asked her to change it, and she replied that I should mind my own business and not try to steal hers. Ironic. Anyways she did turn out to be the same girl who went on to try to help a girl who had been blackmailing me for money and posted her “experience” as well as created a drama where a lot of users on GupShup felt I had stolen her money. Anyways after that particular experience I thought I might be overthinking this situation and it should not be the same in all cases.
Then I came across this group called Seen Sheen boutique. The girls were not only rude, but claimed that I created replicas as well and the photos did not belong to me, but some Wajiha Sindhu. Why they thought so is because I have always kept albums such as the Order Catalog album with me, to showcase variations on original designs that I have made (the dresses are on mannequins in such a case). They got pretty harsh my the model (who wanted her photos off the page, but poor thing, the photos are all over the internet). There was Saqafat Couture as well, but they never created issues. I only messaged them which photos I wanted off, and they took them off straight away (I have always heard excellent reviews about saqafat couture from my clients, so now you can see why i feel this attitude and their work ethics go hand in hand?). Then today I come across the most infuriating case I have come across:
Malik Boutique Afrordables (yep thats the spelling)
This woman took my photos, removed my watermarks and then went on my retailer’s page and started private messaging all her clients that she makes the same stuff cheaper. Its one thing to steal the photos, and its another to steal someones potential clients. My retailer was all over the place and wanted to sue her, but I calmed her down, because I surprisingly knew the owner of the page’s niece. She had contacted me a couple of days before the incident and told me about the boutique as well. She also mentioned that if I had issues with it ever, I should let her know. So I did just that, asked her very politely if the photos could be removed and explained the situation with my retailer. She was really sweet, and told me she forwarded the info to her aunt, who removed the photos. So all was good, until today when I see my personal photos and more photoshoots of mine splashed across her page. I commented under reach of them and told her to remove it. I told her she was given a warning before, but this was the limit and the photos should be taken off as they’re not her property, so what what she has to say in return (right on my page, I havent removed it so have a look):
I have posted your pictures with UR LOGO - WATERMARK on all of your pictures so All credits are going TO YOU whose pictures it belongs. JUST LIKE i have the other models pictures on, Go research the Internet You’ll Find Tons of others WITH their NAMES On YOUR PICTURES. THATS SAID, Don’t DARE INVOLVE my FAMILY Your reputation is bad as is about involving people’s families STOP THERE. If i am Able to make replicas of your dresses ARE YOU UPSET 
as your concerned your picture with family members being removed consider it done,. I respect that. Dunt expect anything ELSE. BACK OFF
Now shes super rude and taken to the fact that shes using my property without my permission and is attaching me as well as saying that I have no right to tell her to do anything about it, I don’t know what way I should go forward with this. She does say that the watermarks are in place which is alright but she never took permission (and yes I do give permission to replica designers who use my work as long as they ask). I have contacted facebook before about this, and they remove the photos straight away, but these designers put them right back on. I replied to her in an equally rude tone I guess (as much as I hate it, because something like this can be fixed very amiably and without name-calling).
What do you guys think? Should they be allowed to use the photos, and if they’re being rude, what do you think we should do as a remedy?