Designer / Knock-Offs

Vintage bronze belt buckle by San Diego artist Jack Boyd.

The "rare & authentic" 18K gold knock-off by Tom Ford.
I've seen a lot of Jack Boyd belt buckles and there is no doubt that this is a direct copy.
Image: eBay

I used to think Tom Ford was kinda cool.  He owns a Neutra house and had Tadao Ando design a ranch for him.
Those are the sort of things I would do if I had his bank account. 
Image: eBay

Tom Ford's Tadao Ando ranch in New Mexico. 
Photo by Guido Mocafico via A AS Architecture

Tom Ford's Richard Neutra house, originally the Brown residence, 1955

Apparently, his taste in mid-century design not only includes architects like Neutra, but also artists like Jack Boyd.     
You would think the former creative director of Gucci and YSL would be sensitive to fakes.  Although, instead of low-end copies 
of Gucci bags at the swap meet, Ford has stolen a design of a relatively unknown artist and slapped his own name on it. 

And he's not the only one stealing designs out there...

Mondoblogo recently called out Kelly Wearstler for ripping off this Auböck bottle opener. 
Source: Mondoblogo

Then there's the real bottom of the barrel rip-off artist, Jonathan Adler.
His whole line is one stolen design after another-everyone from Bill Curry to Gio Ponti.
Image:  Jonathan Adler

Here's a couple more. Celerie Kemble for Henredon ripping off an Aldo Tura table and
 Oscar de la Renta for Century knocking off a Tommi Parzinger cabinet.