Am I paranoid?

Over on Burdastyle, there's a lot of confusion on the upcoming, so far unanounced, merger between Burdastyle and Burdafashion. Like a lot of people, I'm not really happy with that. I've chosen to be active on Burdastyle because I liked the people and notion of having a fairly open platform on which the users have a lot of influence. I have to say Burdastyle has become less likable to me recently, for various reasons, but that aside.

Even though the news has only just been announced on Burdastyle in a post by the forum moderator, there's already a Burda WOF magazine in the shops with 'burdastyle.com' on the cover with the title.

Going through it I got a bit of a shock. The pictures you see with this post are my creations from last winter. I posted these pictures as 'creations' on Burdastyle back then. The technical drawings are from the current issue of Burda WOF.

Now, I know originality is a very difficult concept in fashion and I know the designs are quite classic. I actually based the dress on a Dior W 08 dress which I had seen in a magazine. That dress however, had a very eye catching detail (like a square bow, if that tells you anything) at the front waist, which I didn't add. So Burda's dress, which doesn't have the slanted waist darts of those two, looks more like mine than like the Dior.

I don't know what to make of this. It's very likely that it's all just a coincidence. There are several details which are different. That makes it more likely these patterns aren't copies but it also means that, as rights to fashion design go, I couldn't even claim these designs were mine even if I would be absolutely certain about it.

The sad thing is, I'd be delighted if Burda wanted to use any of my designs. As a struggling starter in design, pattern- and sample making and made to measure, what would be better for me? I wouldn't expect to get a lot of money for it either, just getting my name out would be great already (and if they'd have a job for me, well...;)

I'll stop whining now, I guess it's not worth it. I'm of to make a shirt for my boyfriend!