Destello .. misselling?

[Imogene9500]

I've been a Gemporia customer over 10 years and have some lovely jewellery purchases, although you need to be selective. Destello is supposedly a fashion design by Hattie Houston which seems very popular .. but the original manufacture label left by mistake in one of the items I bought showed that the items claimed by Hattie as her own designs were a design by Paul James in Leicester. Lovely items but nothing to do with Hattie design wise, plus less expensive to buy directly. Makes you wonder about the rest of the Destello range and ethics.

 

[Maid in Devon]

I've been a Gemporia customer over 10 years and have some lovely jewellery purchases, although you need to be selective. Destello is supposedly a fashion design by Hattie Houston which seems very popular .. but the original manufacture label left by mistake in one of the items I bought showed that the items claimed by Hattie as her own designs were a design by Paul James in Leicester. Lovely items but nothing to do with Hattie design wise, plus less expensive to buy directly. Makes you wonder about the rest of the Destello range and ethics.

Completely agree. Sometime ago Hattie was on selling a scarf saying how she came up with the design and the hours she had spent designing this pattern, it looked very familiar, sure enough I had bought the exact same scarf a few years previously whilst mooching around a market in China. Fashion designer she is not.

 

[Snowstorm]

That concerns me. Surely that is unethical. Can you say you have designed an item which is untrue?

 

[Imogene9500]

I've bought a few Destello items but by far the best was the cotton knitwear which I can now see on the Paul James website. Hattie blatantly presented these items as her own in terms of look and fit etc. Feeling cross about this as she is using another brand to support her own so called brand. I have tried to raise with Gemporia but no response.

 

[Imogene9500]

What I meant is claiming another brand to be Destello which it is not. I wouldn't have realised had it not been for the original label left in my jumper. I only had to track down the website from there to find several other 'Destello' items I had purchased. Happy with the purchases as great quality, unlike other Destello purchases which I've returned.

 

[Sazza]

I've been a Gemporia customer over 10 years and have some lovely jewellery purchases, although you need to be selective. Destello is supposedly a fashion design by Hattie Houston which seems very popular .. but the original manufacture label left by mistake in one of the items I bought showed that the items claimed by Hattie as her own designs were a design by Paul James in Leicester. Lovely items but nothing to do with Hattie design wise, plus less expensive to buy directly. Makes you wonder about the rest of the Destello range and ethics.

What did Gemporia say when asked about label?

 

[Imogene9500]

I haven't received a response. The knitwear I bought was lovely, but just feel so cross it was presented as own brand. This can hen build confidence and extend to other lessee quality items.

 

[Ballerina]

They will probably ignore you and hope that you go away, shut up and forget about it. It is a blatant lie to claim a design is yours when it is not. Outright plagiarism, unless the original designer has given permission for their designs to be touted as Destello by Hattie Houston.

 

[Sazza]

I haven't received a response. The knitwear I bought was lovely, but just feel so cross it was presented as own brand. This can hen build confidence and extend to other lessee quality items.

I would push them for response or contact Hattie directly.

 

[VapidStoat]

I am shocked. This cannot be true.

 

[Imogene9500]

The Hattie, Mandy, Ellie and Alice designs sold by Hattie as Destello - and limited, exclusive etc.are all on the Paul James website. In her presentation she described how she had sourced a UK manufacturer to make up the designs to her specifications, however, it just looks as though she she negotiated a deal to purchase and sell online with the Destello label added. As I say, I am v happy with the items, the quality being as described etc., but difficult to have any trust in the brand and it's integrity. I also found a silk scarf sold as Destello with a teal and yellow Tiger design, which seems to be a clear copy of a very expensive Jim Thompson scarf. Have been off work recovering from appendicitis so perhaps too much time on my hands at present !

 

[Sazza]

The Hattie, Mandy, Ellie and Alice designs sold by Hattie as Destello - and limited, exclusive etc.are all on the Paul James website. In her presentation she described how she had sourced a UK manufacturer to make up the designs to her specifications, however, it just looks as though she she negotiated a deal to purchase and sell online with the Destello label added. As I say, I am v happy with the items, the quality being as described etc., but difficult to have any trust in the brand and it's integrity. I also found a silk scarf sold as Destello with a teal and yellow Tiger design, which seems to be a clear copy of a very expensive Jim Thompson scarf. Have been off work recovering from appendicitis so perhaps too much time on my hands at present !

As I said before I would push Gemporia and/or Hattie for a response. If they are buying in and she is not designing as stated then surely OFCOM would have something to say.

I did read on social media the other day that snowglobes they sold were available in The Range, Gemporia did give people refund of the price difference.

 

[Imogene9500]

Yes I intend to press for a response on this particularly as Gemporia talk so much about trust! By the way if you are tempted by a pink cotton cable jumper 'by Hattie', for £186, available exclusively at Gemporia, it can be purchased elsewhere for £35 from £45!! I paid 59.99 in the Gems auction .... interesting to hear about the snowglobes too !

 

[donna255]

Trading Standards might be interested if Gemporia continue to ignore you?

When Kylie Jenner released her lipsticks a few years back to a massive OH WOW must buy them from the influencers etc. Turned out they were exactly the same as a brand called Colour Pop, it was one reviewer who stepped out and said it online. Big lawsuit from Colour Pop which was dropped when Jenner paid up and then had Colour Pop get credit and work with her.

 

[Ballerina]

The Hattie, Mandy, Ellie and Alice designs sold by Hattie as Destello - and limited, exclusive etc.are all on the Paul James website. In her presentation she described how she had sourced a UK manufacturer to make up the designs to her specifications, however, it just looks as though she she negotiated a deal to purchase and sell online with the Destello label added. As I say, I am v happy with the items, the quality being as described etc., but difficult to have any trust in the brand and it's integrity. I also found a silk scarf sold as Destello with a teal and yellow Tiger design, which seems to be a clear copy of a very expensive Jim Thompson scarf. Have been off work recovering from appendicitis so perhaps too much time on my hands at present !

Sorry to hear you have been poorly, I hope you are recovering well, take as much time as you need / can. x

 

[Imogene9500]

Thank you, hopefully back at work on Monday x I'll update on any response from Gemporia Customer Services. I had messaged Hattie directly on her Instagram but seem to have lost the link/been blocked.

 

[donna255]

I will guess she has blocked you.

 

[Kit10]

Really not surprised by any of this. I noticed a Destello scarf that was identical to one I purchased from TJC last year, and a bag supposedly a joint design with Ellis, came with a completely different name on the tags on the bag. I was just thinking a few days ago that Gemporia was missing a trick by not doing little promos on the design and production stages of Destello and Visage. I know why now. Not really interesting telly, watching someone choose items from another online catalogue…..

 

[Anna]

It will be interesting to see if Gemporia get back to you. I've had problems with them trying to get my postage refunded when I've returned an item that I did not want. They will not acknowledge the fact that customers are meant to get their original postage back if returned within 14 days and unused. I reported them to Trading Standards but they are still doing the same thing.

 

[donna255]

Ah, yes, the Visage range. The loose powder with four shades Givenchy has done that for years and even the package is the same as Givenchy.