Here’s a sampling of products where companies have taken French Bull designs and called them their own. When a design infringement is discovered I become weak and frustrated, because I know the stressful steps  that lay ahead . We pursue all infringements because our greatest asset is our intellectual property.  We have had companies cease production, destroy inventory, and reveal their factories to us, but the financial gain always goes to the attorneys representing either sides.

I want French Bull patterns to be seen and loved all over the world. I humbly admit to have been guilty and punished for also being inspired too closely by another designers work. Copying happens in all industries, and here are a few direct lifts by others of our work.

French Bull pattern appears first, and the following images are the knock offs.

DELIGHT

Original French Bull DELIGHT pattern on our Duvet set DELIGHT pattern was introduced in 2005

Stolen by Wiebo Co. Limited in China

The unauthorized use of our Delight pattern appearing on a bag & cosmetic accessory collection discovered at a trade show in Hong Kong by our UK licensee DEVA designs in March 2009 .

FANTASIA

Unauthorized use of French Bull FANTASIA pattern on a neck rest. Design elements of our black and white VINE pattern also appear.

Original French Bull kid's plate-set configuration gets reinterpreted to include their version of our FANTASIA pattern.

KISS

French Bull Kiss pattern on our Duvet set

Unauthorized use of our KISS pattern on a lap tray

MONSTERS

Original French Bull Monster collection

Unauthorized use of our Monsters by Tiger / Zebra Stores in Denmark, Germany & the UK

Unauthorized use of our Pink Monster by Tiger / Zebra Stores in Denmark, Germany & the UK

RING

French Bull Ring Collection has had several infringers from John Baden to a UK stationery manufacturer , to a factory in China selling cutting boards.

Original French Bull Ring collection introduced in 2002

Unauthorized use of our RING pattern on a barn commissioned to John Baden B

Unauthorized use of our RING pattern on a cutting board by a random factory in China

Unauthorized use of our RING pattern on a notebook by WH Smith in the UK

SHADOW FLOWER

French Bull SHADOW FLOWER pattern as seen in 2004

Unauthorized use of our SHADOW FLOWER pattern by La Bianca - a US bathing suit manufacturer

Unauthorized use of our SHADOW FLOWER on a lap tray

SPLICE

French Bull SPLICE pattern in our booth at the NY gift show in 2002

Unauthorized use of our Splice pattern by an Australian company which was manufactured by the US company ZAK - recolored to be blue rather than our original olive & lime coloration

Looking for a new apartment can be an ardorous task. You’re dragged around by overly chatty realtors trying to sell you on cramped spaces with buckled floors and mismatched cabinets. After weeks of searching were found our ideal apartment, the icing on the cake was the magnificent view of Manhattan from the roof. Unfortunately that view will eventually be partially obscured by the building they are erecting directly across from us.

The construction site is filled with overgrown weeds and is boarded up with no activity. Perhaps it’s another casualty of the overdeveloping of Brooklyn and the economic climate that has effected us all. Having the site directly outside our window might seem like a depressing eye sore but it’s actually become exciting as the blank wall has become a canvas for several street artists. Recently someone stencilled this brilliant butterfly which reminded me of some of the design elements we use here at French Bull.

Catch up on what you’ve been missing out on, The Steve Coogan DVD Collection out today.

Steve Coogan, the Mancunian comic genius is not nearly as well known as he should be in the States.  His shows have run on the BBC, UK for the past 15+ years to great success.  Tony Ferrino, Alan Partridge and Paul & Pauline Calf are just a few of his legendary, well loved characters.

Tony Ferrino, Alan Partridge, Paul & Pauline Calf

This boxed collection will make those dark nights seem a little brighter.

In lieu of French Bull’s feedback week, I figured it would be appropriate to share some of my personal uses for our products. My first bit of advice is don’t let names and titles of any product limit your uses and creativity. Keep in mind that there’s almost always more than one way to utilize an object so switch it up a bit.

Above I have found another way to use our solid side bowls. They make for easy and accessible jewelry holders. Personally I love storing my rings in them.

If you have a coffee table like I do with a glass overlay, the perfect way to add some appeal is with some pattern. I simply slipped one of our Harlequin napkins in between the glass and the table itself. I must say- it is much more eye catching.

These are two ways I have found to use our platters and cups to their fullest potential. Kitchen and bathroom accessories always tend to look unorganized. What better way then grouping them on a platter and using a tumbler or juice cup to tie up any loose ends.

I know everyone has a flower pot that needs some TLC. Depending on the size of the pot you can place it in numerous products we have. Try a two toned salad bowl, a storage container set, or the canister sets which worked perfectly for my pot. The cabana stripe canister set gave some height while also adding an element of appeal to a boring clay pot.

If you are like myself and can push the threshold try bundling up with one of our fabulous table runners and use it as a scarf.

Simple post for Veterans Day, take a moment and reflect in your own way. Here’s a good read from the New York Times today talking about Obama’s first Veterans Day as President of the United States of America.

Lupa testing out the Shadow Flower Gourmet Getaway

We now offer a selection of products from our successful collaboration with Built NY at frenchbull.com. Bring your lunch to work and you can watch your waistline and pennies in one go! The Gourmet Getaway is a great lunch tote that can be used over and over again, and it’s machine washable so everyday it’ll be like new. Pair it up with one of our Storage Container Sets for an easy transportable lunch on the go.

Lunch on the Go!

We have the One Bottle Totes, Gourmet Getaway Bags and 16″ Laptop Cases available in three of our gorgeous patterns: Multidot, Vine and Shadow Flower.

Perfect for holiday gifts or treat yourself and make your day a little brighter.

French Bull + Built NY Neoprene Bags

I’d heard about a stretch of land in central Connecticut  nick – named “The Valley”, where most of the heavy manufacturing that took place up through the 1970′s was located and which is still sprinkled with empty warehouses and factories. One family has worked to preserve one such structure in the sleepy town of Seymour, CT located at 26 Bank street. The building has been converted into a coop antique center that’s open to both the public and trade seven days a week. I checked out Seymour Antiques this weekend and saw lot’s of industrial shelving, vintage metal desks and chairs intermingled with unusual glassware, records, and homespuns crafts.

You never know what triggers inspiration, but among the things I really loved as pictured above is the pairing of white dinnerware with pulp fiction paperbacks, saturated color book spines with dangling hang tags, and a FOREVER favorite of mine… dots,stripes and type combined as seen on the Command records record cover.

Chopsticks + Color = Chow Fun

In keeping with our credo “Color Makes Everything Taste Better!”, Design Within Reach (dwr.com) is offering a set of 24 wood lacquer chopsticks in 12 different hues. Mix n’ match with your favorite French Bull pattern plates for a blazing Chinese food fest!

Some of our Spring 2010 samples arrived recently and sent a wave of excitement through the office. Stylistically this new pattern is not only a departure for French Bull but it’s a totally new direction in melamine. You can see why it’s unbearable for us to keep this under wraps. While we can’t give you a glimpse into our shiny bright future, we can provide you with a tease and some inspiration from our closet.

Soak in the eloquent and ornate beauty of this jacket taken from Jackie’s personal collection. We hope that the colorful plumes inspire you to redefine the familiar in your world too.

As foliage has past its peak days the leaves are beginning to tumble down. It always seems like there is an abrupt end to fall and the frigid months of winter are just around the corner. Now is the time to prepare for those frosty nights. What better way than to cozy up in front of the fire with French Bull’s warm quilted throws. Not only will you be relaxing in style, but the patterns are reminiscent of those colorful fall months that just seemed to slip away.