Can you tell which of these skirts retails for $85 or more and which ones sell for much less??No? Are your sure?Can you tell which ones are "originals" and which skirts are "knock-off"??
Of course you can't! Even if you were looking at them in person! Because they are all made by the same hands by the same manufacturer. This US based manufacturer/wholesaler designed them & has been making them since 1969 and selling them to retailers for many years!! The ONLY difference in these skirts are the labels inside and the price.
You see, Ms. Lightner of Kiaya Eve Couture, had the brilliant idea (I know it was a brilliant idea because she emailed me and told me so) to take these skirts and "...put them into the world in a whole, new magical way." That is indeed a fact!
Here is Ms. Lightner's entire, unaltered email to me sent through the ebay email system in response to an ebay guide I wrote about pettiskirts:
"recently read quite the interesting article about what "the original pettiskirt" means. Well, as the designer who created "the original pettiskirt" by Kaiya Eve Couture, I would like to take a few minutes out of my very busy day to share a few thoughts on the matter. You see, as I have previously stated in many of my featured press related articles, I have never claimed to have invented the "petticoat". As we all know (since we are all such clever women), the "petticoat" as been around for years and years and well, ... years. However, I am very happy to say, that I -- Kandi Lightner -- designer of Kaiya Eve Couture was the very first person to have taken these beautiful little petticoats and put them into the world in a whole, new magical way -- and called them a "pettiskirt". Yes ... the very first person. Why you ask? Well, other than that fact that I am just ... ummmmm ... brilliant ... and well, Original -- I, again, being the smart person that I am, termed them a "pettiskirt"
I do know, in fact, that the email was indeed sent by Ms. Lightner because about 2 months prior to receiving this email, this SAME ebayer made a purchase from me on ebay. Thus, providing me with the ebayer's name and information confirming her identity.
Now, my guide was NOT about what "the original pettiskirt" means. It was simply informing consumers that the so called "knock off" pettiskirts are the exact same skirts as Kaiya Eve and other brands of pettiskirts that retail for much more. And that they are made by the same manufacturer. Though I mentioned NO brand names or persons names in my guide.
Yes! Ms. Lightner was the FIRST to "put them into the world in a whole, new magical way" and to attach the term "pettiskirt" to them. In that respect, she most certainly is "the original" and would give her credit for being "brilliant" as she claims she is. The misunderstanding, I think, is that Ms. Lightner's Brilliance, does not make the rest of us stupid!
Ms. Lightner's website claims "if it doesn't say Kaiya Eve, it's not an original". What about all those skirts sold in specialty shops all over the country since 1969 from this manufacturer?
Ms. Lightner's website states "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". What about all those skirts sold in specialy shops all over the country since 1969 from this manufacturer?
In many published interviews, Ms. Lightner refers to the other skirts as "knock offs". What about all those skirts sold in specialty shops all over the country since 1969 from this manufacturer?
Ms. Lightner's website states "no other pettiskirts can compare" (to Kaiya Eve). What??? How can that be if they are the same skirt? Well, they can compare & they do!
I understand that Ms. Lightner has very recently created her own "in house" manufacturing. Therefore, it appears that future Kiaya Eve couture products will indeed come from a different source than the "knock offs".
I recently sold a so called "knock off" pettiskirt to a customer who also owned a Kaiya Eve skirt. Her feedback to me was "...it's just like her $90 Kaiya Eve skirt!"
Facts:
1.October 1947, Vanity Fair files for their trademark. Among the list of items to be sold under this trademark?...........PETTISKIRTS
2.Between 1947 and March of 2007, when Ms. Lightner filed for her Kiaya Eve tradmark, approx. 15 trademarks have been filed all listing PETTISKIRTS as items to be sold under their trademarks.
3. May 2007, Ms. Lightner filed for a trademark for the phrase "the original pettiskirt". Disclaimer in the application: "NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "pettiskirt" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN"Someone has been selling something called a pettiskirt since 1947. How could this be "the original"?
4. Ms. Lightner's Kaiya Eve website states: "WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING ANYMORE ECOMMERCE APPLICATIONS.PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT PERMIT THE SALE OF OUR ITEMS ON EBAY, ANY AUCTION SITE, AT FAIRS, INDOOR OR OUTDOOR MARKETS. YOU MUST OWN A BRICK AND MORTAR STORE IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A KAIYA EVE ACCOUNT."
However, Ms. Lighter HERSELF (under the disguise of her ebay ID) has been selling her own Kiaya Eve pettiskirts, NWT, ON EBAY for $53-55!!!! And has even earned Power Seller status with these sales!! (as stated earlier, I know her ebay ID)
Now I wonder how her retailers would feel about her undercutting them by selling her skirts on ebay?? This is just unethical in my opinion.
5. Many of the pettiskirts that many other retailers sell come from the same US based manufacturer/wholesaler that makes Kaiya Eve pettiskirts and they have been making and selling these EXACT SAME skirts since 1969.
Though I do understand that very recently Ms. Lightner has acquired her own "in house" manufacturing now and future Kaiya Eve products will come from that source.
I'm very sorry if Ms. Lightner feels misunderstood & picked on by other people. But maybe she should consider selling her product by simply promoting the positive in her own product instead of discounting everyone else's products by calling them "knock offs" or imitations.
She can call her skirts "the original pettiskirt". She has tradmarked the term. But maybe she should leave it at that and stop with the name calling.
We should all thank Ms. Lightner for being brillant & putting these skirts into the world in a whole new magical way. She is a pioneer. She deserves all her fame & popularity. I'm sure she worked very hard for her sucess.
I certainly would not discourage anyone from buying a Kaiya Eve pettiskirt. By all means, buy one on EBAY from Ms. Lightner herself! They are beautiful, wonderful skirts and well worth the retail price. Please purchase your pettiskirt from whoever you choose. But know some truths & facts. And if a seller tells you their pettiskirts are "Just like Kaiya Eve", you can believe them!
And I assure you, when your child puts on any full, fluffy pettiskirt, No one will care what label it has in it! Only your wallet will know the difference!
I have taken the full pettiskirt plunge! I have contracted with a petticoat manufacturer to create my own line of pettiskirts. The first delivery of skirts is due late January/late Feburary 2009.
