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Did Iris Apfel Copy This Toucan Pin From A French Jewelry Designer?

by Julia Rubin | 4:56 pm, May 18th, 2011

Ever since we heard about it straight from Iris Apfel‘s mouth, we’ve been anxiously awaiting her jewelry collection. It will be sold on HSN beginning in September, and now we have pictures of the pieces, which retail from $20 to $180. They’re really great, but is one of them uncomfortably similar to that of a French jewelry designer?

Racked has pictures of all the items, as well as a statement from our favorite octogenarian:

I always say that you can change the entire look of an outfit by accessorizing. Take a black dress for instance; toss on different jewelry and create 100 different outfits. Take that principle and combine it with the fact that I have accumulated a great number of fabulous pieces over my lifetime and they culminate into something major — my HSN line. I want to teach people to be less deliberate with their accessorizing choices and have fun putting surprising looks and styles together.

Our favorite pieces are probably the amazing statement necklaces (the turquoise one is especially Apfel-appropriate), but it’s the quirky toucan pin that is generating the most buzz. A jewelry designer named Hanna Bernhard is alleging that Apfel has copied one of her pieces. Apparently Apfel purchased a one-of-a-kind toucan pin from the designer a couple of years ago.

We want more than anything to give Apfel the benefit of the doubt, though the resemblance is rather uncanny (untoucanny?). This feels a bit like the whole Rachel Zoe copycat dress debacle; however, the dress Zoe appeared to have copied was vintage. Check out the photos below, and tell us what you think!


[via Racked[



  • Melissa

    Hardly anything is original these days. I think this Iris Apfel pin is beautiful and should be worn, admired, and purchased. And why not? This pin was clearly inspired by Hanna Bernhard—but it is not an exact replica! I will happily purchase one because it is fabulous costume jewelry and much more affordable than Bernhard’s designs. What would Marcel Duchamp say??

  • HANNA BERNHARD JEWELRY PARIS

    That’s exactly why they made a repro, because some people like you would buy it.
    There is so luch to create on this planet, why copying somebody ?
    I have always thought that Iris has a great style and was honored that she has several of our pieces : this is very disppointed coming from someone like her indeed…
    THANKS TO EVERYONE TO ALL YOUR SUPPORT !
    Nathalie Hanna Bernhard

  • anna

    if by “inspired” you mean a cheaper replica, then I agree

  • Catthom3

    This is not vintage, it is contemporary, and the original brooch has the designers name on it. This is a shameless knockoff. Iris Apfel’s pin is slightly simplified, but she not only copied the design, she also just about duplicated the colors from the original. At the very least, the HSN legal staff should have put the kibosh on this one. For shame.

  • BikerK

    Yup, she copied it.  Even the placement and shape of the stones have been copied.

  • BikerK

    Yup, she copied it.  Even the placement and shape of the stones have been copied.

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