The Art of Resistance: How Designers are Fighting Back Against Corporate Greed!
- Cake
- Jul 21
- 5 min read
The design industry can be a challenging place for independent creatives. Designers face an ongoing struggle against corporate greed, which can include issues such as intellectual property theft, underpayment, and lack of recognition. However, there are ways for designers to stand up against big companies and protect their rights and their work.
There are many inspiring examples of resistance and empowerment.
Registering Work and Defending Intellectual Property
One of the most important ways for designers to protect themselves is to register their designs and obtain intellectual property rights. This can help to prevent big companies from stealing their work and profiting from it. By registering their designs, designers can take legal action if their work is used without permission.
A powerful example of this is illustrator Tuesday Bassen, who discovered that fashion giant Zara had copied her enamel pin designs. After being dismissed as “too small” to matter, she used social media to publicly call them out—sparking massive support from the design community. She later co-founded Shop Art Theft, a resource for other creatives facing similar issues. Her story highlights how legal action combined with public pressure can hold corporations accountable.
Anita Perry, creator of Sugar & Sloth, describes discovering that Shein used her Nigel the Frog artwork without permission. Perry, who prioritizes ethical, sweatshop-free, and eco-friendly practices, contrasts her values with Shein’s reported unethical manufacturing.
She highlights the emotional toll of the theft and clarifies no collaboration exists, despite supporters’ messages. Perry, who hand-draws her designs and produces small, quality-checked batches, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Shein after finding their copyright contact online. The post introduces a series documenting her efforts to address this intellectual property violation. She continues her account of addressing Shein's unauthorized use of her Nigel the Frog artwork. She details Shein's swift but dismissive response to her cease-and-desist letter, rejecting it and requesting more evidence despite her providing clear proof, including a 2019 timestamped Instagram post of Nigel. After six days of being ignored or brushed off, Perry turned to social media, rallying her "Bestie Army" to raise awareness by sharing posts and commenting on Shein’s platforms. This pressure led to Shein removing Nigel from their website within hours, though they falsely claimed it was removed days earlier. Perry also notes Shein’s tactic of hiding comments containing trigger words related to art theft. Now working with an IP protection solicitor, she vows to continue the fight, expressing gratitude for her community’s support in this ongoing battle against the billion-dollar company’s art theft.
Inspiration vs. Imitation: Why It Matters Who’s Copying Whom
As creatives, we all learn by being inspired. Designers often build upon each other’s styles, experiment with similar techniques, or even unconsciously echo visual trends—and that’s part of how art evolves. When this happens among peers, it’s usually an act of mutual respect, shared language, or even tribute. But when a massive corporation like Zara and Shein copies the work of an independent designer, it’s an entirely different story. That’s not inspiration—it’s exploitation. The power dynamic is unequal: the corporation profits, often massively, while the original artist receives no credit, payment, or recourse. What’s collaborative in a creative community becomes extractive in a commercial context. Recognizing that difference is crucial if we want to protect creative labor and keep design culture alive and fair.
Building a Strong Online Presence
Another way designers can stand up against big companies is by building a strong online presence. By creating websites, social media profiles, and portfolios, designers can showcase their work and promote their skills. This can help attract clients and build a following, making it harder for big companies to ignore or exploit their work.
Contemporary designers like Adam J. Kurtz (Adam JK) and Lauren Hom have done this successfully. Kurtz uses social media not just to share work, but to speak candidly about mental health, pricing, and boundaries in the design world. Hom, meanwhile, has built a career on passion projects like Will Letter for Lunch, using personal work to create professional opportunities on her own terms.
These approaches echo the DIY attitude of the Beautiful Losers movement, where artists like Shepard Fairey, Margaret Kilgallen, and Mike Mills built their platforms through zines, street art, and underground galleries, long before social media made it mainstream.
They didn’t wait for validation—they created their own. Read more about celebrating the power of creativity and the importance of staying true to oneself!
Collaborating and Building Community
Collaborating with other designers is also an effective way to stand up against big companies. By coming together, designers can share their knowledge and resources, collaborate on projects, and support each other. This can help to create a more diverse and collaborative industry and make it harder for corporations to dominate.
The Beautiful Losers collective exemplified this spirit of collaboration—drawing from skateboarding, graffiti, punk, and street culture, they formed tight-knit creative communities that thrived outside the commercial mainstream.
Using Social Media to Share Stories and Raise Awareness
Designers can also use social media to their advantage by sharing their stories and raising awareness of issues in the industry. Speaking out against exploitation can encourage others to take a stand and demand fair treatment.
This has been especially visible in movements like Black Designers Ignite and Where Are the Black Designers?, which emerged in response to systemic inequality in the design world. These initiatives not only call attention to underrepresentation, but also build supportive networks that challenge industry standards and create new opportunities.
Taking Legal Action When Necessary
Designers can also take legal action against big companies that exploit their work.
By working with lawyers, they can demand compensation for stolen or uncredited work and ensure their rights are protected.
Shepard Fairey, for example, has been both the subject of copyright lawsuits and an advocate for artistic freedom. His legal battles over the iconic Obama Hope poster sparked broader conversations about fair use and creative ownership. These cases show how legal pushback can open up debate and redefine creative rights.
Strength in Creativity and Community
There are several ways in which designers are fighting back, including:
Forming communities and collaborations to support one another and push back against exploitation.
Educating clients and the public about the value of creative work.
Demanding fair payment and recognition, even at the cost of walking away from exploitative opportunities.
Utilizing legal protections and public platforms to expose wrongdoing.
Building strong digital presences and using tools like social media to foster visibility and solidarity.
Designers have the power to stand up against big companies and protect their work. From the DIY culture to today’s outspoken, connected creatives, the message is clear: you don’t have to go it alone. By organizing, educating, and using your voice, you can build a career on your own terms—and inspire others to do the same.
Cake is a lifestyle brand offering unique homewares and accessories that celebrate culture and individuality. Founder Laurine Brugman designs products that withstand trends and fads - creating timeless pieces that you’ll treasure forever.
We’re passionate about preserving traditional crafts and passing on a little bit of love with our hand-made items. All of our items are produced in limited runs to eliminate waste and ensure quality.
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