Here's the deal: A bit ago a lovely acquaintance of mine shot an email my way regarding some shenanigans going down at her mall _{(at first I said "oy vey, what can ya do?" but recent events have made it worse)}. Turns out Diva, which is similar to (but not in conjunction with), Claire's and The Icing, has been blatantly ripping off indie designers and artists' work. Who knows if this is something new or just an extension of Diva "drawing their inspiration from around the world" (seriously, go read the "About Diva" page on their website http://www.diva.net.au/About_Diva/history.asp It can read that they've got their sticky fingers on the pulse of fashion OR that they've unoriginal misers from down under).

For all the information, check out the BOYCOTT DIVA Facebook group.

This includes the blatant rip off they've created of my own work:  side by side comparison

It is so cool when my hands are burning from inflamed tendons (diagnosed with tendinitis in my right hand when I was 10) from working 15 hours a day and some jackass is mass producing said work and sitting high and mighty in their plush office. Screw you, Diva.

Think of all the REAL DVIAS out there. Cher, Bette Midler, Annie Lennox, Elton John! They have integrity. I don't see you, DIVA, joining in on VH1 for a live concert in the late 90's. Sure your bullshit company wasn't yet formed, but your ass was no where near Mariah's weave or Whitney's bag of coke!

My point is that it's time my Aussie guys and gals (and visitors to that fair land..and wherever else Diva has its grimy little paws) showed love to the originators of creative content and boycotted this joke of a store like a bad habit.

I can only hope that Diva will...go..down..under...in business terms, and never resurface. Hopefully a retail shop with standards (i.e. actual designers at its HQ versus marketing tools) will rise up and take its place _{(I'd hate for those teenagers working as clerks at Diva stores to have no jobs, really...they're innocent adolescents just looking to fund their movie dates and Jonas Brother concerts)}.

I'm sure you Facebookers and Twitterheads are tired of me talking about this. Figured I could notify a few more people with the info before stepping off my soapbox.

I love you, doodlebops. Let's do lunch.
You'll hear more from me soon in the way of proper artwork as soon as I resurface from my current workload. It's been a crazy few weeks and won't end until I skip off on holiday in July.