ostap bender's Profile

1. designers who make a product that cost $7000 are not loosing livelihood by existence of similar products that cost $700. these are two different markets/demographics.

2. the ones who are unjustly profiting the most are the "original" manufacturers. if bertoia bird+otoman+upholstery was originally $90 ($550 in today's money adjusted for inflation since the 50's) yet it presently sells for over $3500 + tax and shipping that is over $3000 or over 650% markup.

3. the "originals" are mostly not manufactured with originally specified materials, parts etc. and are modified to new production processes. therefore "originals" are also "reproductions."

4. the intention of most mid-century designers was to harness the newly developed "industrial-military complex" for the good purpose of improving life through affordable well designed objects. therefore the "reproductions" are truer to the original design intention at least in this respect. our grand parents invested in these designs by paying taxes that enabled the development of these industries and, by extension, affordable good design. the benefits of the well designed objects belongs to the people and not only to the rich, or to the "original" manufactruers and not even entirely to the designers themselves.

5. the development of the design field is not halted by the knock-offs and chinese firms who don't want to produce new designs (they will produce whatever you want for the same price + it is not their fault that USA ruined its manufacturing and can't produce anything domestically). it is more likely that it is halted by the elitist approach to design as demonstarted by the "original" manufacturers that also extends to design education (30K tuition for the design/art school) and declining value of creativity in the society as exemplified by various undercutting of government programs for the arts etc. holland or italy or france, for example, values and stimulates their designers and design is one of their main national products. USA designs nice weapons and 60% of the brightest harvard graduates end up on wall street.

ps.
i am a designer and am very often forced to produce crap regardless of the cost of its production. sadly, i have to eat ramen noodles even if i buy knockoffs.