I'm loving the bags made by Minus and a UK seller too, woohoo!

I was going to say you forgot PravinaStudio - but there she is in related items.
I have been craving one of her bags for the longest time!

Uh oh... I love all of these!

I remember when Moop first came out with these - I've loved them ever since. I'm saving up for a Moop. :)

I love the Moop bags!

GiantDwarf has some awesome bags too!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=872

these are great!

must. resist. impulsive. bag. purchase.

I had to wait 24 whole hours before this article came out and I (FINALLY) allowed myself to buy that blue moop bag. Which I am buying right now. The blue color was my downfall.

snap. i might have to get that floral one now.

Thank you for the feature Anda:)

Ira, I just love your bags !!

Great work!

Fantastic bags, love the rust colored multitask bag from Iragrant!

I love my Moop Market bag, and would like to praise Moop for her originality, quality and craftsmanship!

They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

I love all these bags!!!! I'm a big bag freak! I found a lot of new favs here! Thanks!

P.S. I don't think any of these sellers are imitations. I've seen simular patterns in several different sewing books. ;) All of these have a slight twist of their own creatively!!

love these finds!! so cute! and the lil guy on your podcast and etsy find email is ADORABLE ;)

So many beauty queens!

This is a great collection of bags! I'm honored to be included :)

the bags are great but seems like mostly have the same "basic" shape and/or style...is it the current trend?

I love this style of bag but I agree with luchi- I don't think any of them are "imitations". It is a traditional style, even Amy Butler has a pattern for this style called the "Frenchy Bag". (based on traditional market bags in France) There has been a tutorial for this style bag on craftster since 2005. Everybody's version is different and special.

i'm with eclipse...i have a bag in a similar design, purchased in 2006 from another etsy seller...it's also a design in at least 2 sewing books on my shelf.

they all have a simple beauty in their functionality..and i think none are "copies", just variations on a design.

Interesting, though, when the bags all started popping up.

Eh.

OMG! These are back in? I remember these from the 70's.

sweet totes!

I made something very similar as a 4-H project. In 1976.

That's nice.

But it's not really the point.

hmmmm..i though the original point of this article was to highlight an amazing, functional style of tote bag...then it was suggested that others were "copying" one designer...

i think the *new* point is that this design has been around for a long time...the greater consciousness being what it is...it has come full circle!

Yes, that seems to have been the point. It's obvious that more than one person was a bit surprised at this article, though, and I think talking about that is a good thing.

What I generally see when people discuss copying of other artists here on etsy (which does happen, and often) is disdain for any person who dares suggest they have an original idea/brand/product, or the trotting out of the straw man argument of collective conscious or 'I've been making this since 1947, both of which skirt the issue and don't speak to the very specific instance usually being discussed, and that's unfortunate. Open dialogue regarding copying and 'me-too-ism' would serve the community much better.

i have seen that tutorial on craftster as well.

i personally think that when people see an idea that they have seen around (in tutorials and in stores and such) selling well, they feel maybe the person didn't create the idea at hand so it's up for grabs somehow. i don't think it's right but it's probably inevitable and i don't think it's the same as copying. i know many would disagree though!

Many artists work in similar styles and there is a lot of design overlap in the crafting world.
I think what Etsy has shown me since 2005 is that the most important thing is how you brand your shop. You do this with photography, with styling, with descriptions, with whatever it is...you take what sets you apart and trade on it. To me, the most successful shops create the illusion of a lifestyle or scenario the viewer is buying into. Take moop for example: I look at her item photos and imagine a big room with hardwood floors and lots of huge windows, maybe a stack of interesting library books on the floor next to a bike parked against the wall, it's September and classes have just started; like some loft apartment I wished I lived in when I was 20. I also irrationally imagine that upon wearing the tote I will magically lose 30 pounds, be single again, and my hair will form itself into that cute haircut the model is sporting.
If I were to describe a different shop featured here, I would paint a totally different picture. Thewren's bag makes me ache to visit my best pal in Morocco, wandering down cobblestone alleyways, carrying my groceries home for a long, lazy dinner with friends and wine.
Some shops have little or no clear "daydream" that they are trading on. It's the shops that take branding into account that will be most sucessful on Etsy.

Compliment - Great Bags.
Suggestion- Please visit www.handbags8.etsy.com
and provide Your extremely valuable feedback.