Seeing double
It looks to me like the お花の国のお姫様 (Princess of the Country of Flowers) OP from AP, the Rose Coron JSK from AP, and the Loretta Rose JSK from BTSSB are all made from different colourways of the same fabric. I've actually seen the Loretta Rose and Princess of Flowers dresses in the stores here in SF, so I'm pretty sure, but for those as have not, here are some links:
お花の国のお姫様 OP: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/op/122O5-3553/122O5-3553.htm
お花の国のお姫様 fabric closeup: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/op/122O5-3553/up.jpg
Rose Coron JSK: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/jsk/122J6-2714/122J6-2714.htm
Rose Coron JSK fabric closeup: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/jsk/122J6-2714/up3.jpg
Loretta Rose JSK: http://www.babyssb.co.jp/shopping/baby/jumper/136229.html
Loretta Rose JSK fabric closeup: http://www.babyssb.co.jp/shopping/baby/jumper/136229/suso.jpg
See what I mean? If this is not a brand-proprietary print, could I get it and make my own dress that wouldn't need any altering? I don't mind paying brand prices for things I can only get from brands, but anything I could make myself just as easily is a different matter, because most brand items don't fit without alteration, which is sometimes harder than just cutting the dress out the right size and sewing it yourself. Plus, I could come up with my own variation on the design--I like different things about all 3 of these dresses.
How common is it for this to happen? I know there is at least one cameo rose fabric that has been used by both AP and Bodyline, and that for some reason people call one of the 3 Bodyline dresses made with it "the IW replica" -- did IW ever make a dress using that actual fabric? I know they mafde a shirred-waist JSK with bows on the straps out of a similar cameo fabric that is corduroy rather than broadcloth and has their logo on it, but it seems weird to call the BL dress a replica when the print's not the same, because what brand hasn't made a bunch of shirred-waist JSKs with bows on the straps out of various florals, plaids and solids? Since AP used the same fabric, why isn't the one of the other 2 Bodyline dresses that has a white panel in front with bows on it called "the AP replica"?
I don't understand why people call dresses "replicas" when the design is not unusual, the print is not proprietary (or there is no print) and there aren't any appliques or design elements that basically take the place of a print (for instance, Kidsyoyo's Marionette Girl and Angel Pony replicas).
Calling a JSK of a very common design made of a fabric that other brands have used a "replica" seems really weird to me. It even seems a little weird when the the offbrand/indie-brand/taobao shop dress was clearly inspired by a brand dress, but there's no proprietary print or lace and you'd never mistake one for the other. For instance I would never mistake Bodyline's poodle print for IW's poodle print. And I wouldn't mistake Kidsyoyo's Flower Blossom dress for Baby's Scalloped Princess. Despite the fact that both JSKs have a gathered upper bodice over a fitted lower bodice and a double skirt, the only thing that really makes them look "the same" is that they have the same brooch design and similar lace placement on the bodice. The Baby dress has a scalloped overskirt with lace appliques over a bustle-back underskirt. The Kidsyoyo dress has a cutwork embroidered overskirt without lace that's more hanky-pointed than scalloped, and the underskirt is a plain flounced skirt without a bustle. To me they have a similar shape but are clearly not the same dress, and I think the Kidsyoyo design is prettier, probably because I've always loved cutwork embroidery and you don't see much of it in lolita.
When it comes to dresses without prints where the design is not identical, where does the consensus come from about whether or not they are replicas, and do the brands consider them replicas? Will people get upset with you if you walk into a brand shop wearing Bodyline's dress with the cameo rose print, or the Flower Blossom dress? (Obviously, if going to a brand PARTY, you wear the actual brand, as much as possible, but sometimes I just like to wander around Japantown wearing lolita.)
お花の国のお姫様 OP: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/op/122O5-3553/122O5-3553.htm
お花の国のお姫様 fabric closeup: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/op/122O5-3553/up.jpg
Rose Coron JSK: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/jsk/122J6-2714/122J6-2714.htm
Rose Coron JSK fabric closeup: http://www.angelicpretty.com/shopping/item/jsk/122J6-2714/up3.jpg
Loretta Rose JSK: http://www.babyssb.co.jp/shopping/baby/jumper/136229.html
Loretta Rose JSK fabric closeup: http://www.babyssb.co.jp/shopping/baby/jumper/136229/suso.jpg
See what I mean? If this is not a brand-proprietary print, could I get it and make my own dress that wouldn't need any altering? I don't mind paying brand prices for things I can only get from brands, but anything I could make myself just as easily is a different matter, because most brand items don't fit without alteration, which is sometimes harder than just cutting the dress out the right size and sewing it yourself. Plus, I could come up with my own variation on the design--I like different things about all 3 of these dresses.
How common is it for this to happen? I know there is at least one cameo rose fabric that has been used by both AP and Bodyline, and that for some reason people call one of the 3 Bodyline dresses made with it "the IW replica" -- did IW ever make a dress using that actual fabric? I know they mafde a shirred-waist JSK with bows on the straps out of a similar cameo fabric that is corduroy rather than broadcloth and has their logo on it, but it seems weird to call the BL dress a replica when the print's not the same, because what brand hasn't made a bunch of shirred-waist JSKs with bows on the straps out of various florals, plaids and solids? Since AP used the same fabric, why isn't the one of the other 2 Bodyline dresses that has a white panel in front with bows on it called "the AP replica"?
I don't understand why people call dresses "replicas" when the design is not unusual, the print is not proprietary (or there is no print) and there aren't any appliques or design elements that basically take the place of a print (for instance, Kidsyoyo's Marionette Girl and Angel Pony replicas).
Calling a JSK of a very common design made of a fabric that other brands have used a "replica" seems really weird to me. It even seems a little weird when the the offbrand/indie-brand/taobao shop dress was clearly inspired by a brand dress, but there's no proprietary print or lace and you'd never mistake one for the other. For instance I would never mistake Bodyline's poodle print for IW's poodle print. And I wouldn't mistake Kidsyoyo's Flower Blossom dress for Baby's Scalloped Princess. Despite the fact that both JSKs have a gathered upper bodice over a fitted lower bodice and a double skirt, the only thing that really makes them look "the same" is that they have the same brooch design and similar lace placement on the bodice. The Baby dress has a scalloped overskirt with lace appliques over a bustle-back underskirt. The Kidsyoyo dress has a cutwork embroidered overskirt without lace that's more hanky-pointed than scalloped, and the underskirt is a plain flounced skirt without a bustle. To me they have a similar shape but are clearly not the same dress, and I think the Kidsyoyo design is prettier, probably because I've always loved cutwork embroidery and you don't see much of it in lolita.
When it comes to dresses without prints where the design is not identical, where does the consensus come from about whether or not they are replicas, and do the brands consider them replicas? Will people get upset with you if you walk into a brand shop wearing Bodyline's dress with the cameo rose print, or the Flower Blossom dress? (Obviously, if going to a brand PARTY, you wear the actual brand, as much as possible, but sometimes I just like to wander around Japantown wearing lolita.)