An artist from Florida has gone viral on TikTok after claiming that Target allegedly duplicated one of her designs from three years ago, sparking a conversation about dupe culture.
Virginia Chamlee, 39, took to the social media platform (@virginiachamlee on TikTok) to reveal the checkerboard artwork she created back in 2021, and comparing it to a very similar version sold by Target. While Chamlee’s design retails for $258, the Target equivalent sells for a fraction of the price at just $5.
Newsweek has contacted Target via email multiple times for comment.
After seeing the apparent dupe of her design, Chamlee, from northeast Florida, told Newsweek that she was left feeling “a bit deflated.” She acknowledged that she won’t be the first or last person to create a checkerboard design, but it was “hard not to see the similarities” between the two prints.
“Artists take inspiration from other artists all the time, but to see a $5 print that looks so strikingly similar to my work, available in the dollar section of a massive chain retailer, is hard,” Chamlee said. “The irony is that I had just written a newsletter about dupe culture and how it harms small artists. Just days later, I received a message on Instagram from someone who said, it looks like a dupe of your pink and green checkerboard print is being sold at Target.”
Chamlee hasn’t contacted Target herself about the dupe and believes that it could have been designed by a third-party company that is sold in Target stores.
“I don’t blame people who buy the $5 print, and I am a long-time Target shopper myself. But I think as shoppers, we often buy the less expensive option without realizing the downside of that purchase. I think it’s important to at least have a conversation about that,” she added.
At first, Chamlee just sold her artwork “for fun” before she started taking it more seriously. She designed the checkerboard piece back in 2021 and it was commissioned by a design firm who sells artwork in Anthropologie stores.
“When I was told that the company was interested in offering prints of the pink and green checkerboard piece, I was thrilled. I painted the original of course but Anthropologie does all the rest of the work for the prints: printing high-quality versions of the work, framing it, and shipping it. I get a commission from every sale, and it allows me to get my name and my work out there,” Chamlee said.
Chamlee told Newsweek that the design was done very well over the last three years, and although artwork sales don’t make up all of her income, it’s “a very important part of it.”
After comparing the two artworks on TikTok, the post has gone viral with over 660,000 views and more than 17,400 likes so far. The caption alongside the post reads: “I would love to have a line of artwork in Target but I would very much like to be paid for it.”
Virginia Chamlee’s 2021 design on the left, which is sold by Anthropologie for $258, compared to the $5 Target design on the right. Chamlee was dismayed to see her design being “duped” for a much cheaper cost, and wants to make people aware of dupe culture.
@virginiachamlee / TikTok
The Impact of Dupe Culture
“Dupe culture has seeped everywhere and it’s inescapable at this point. I think we all probably buy dupes without realizing that some of these items are created off the backs of smaller artists,” Chamlee said.
She continued: “When companies sell dupes, the creators who produced the originals often get the short end of the stick. They aren’t credited and don’t receive a commission because the dupes are often just different enough that they aren’t direct copies. But they are similar enough that people notice, or even mistake the two. With more people buying the dupe, fewer people will buy the original. Over time, the work becomes more associated with Target than it does with me.”
It’s not just artwork that’s impacted by dupe culture, as it can also occur in other creative worlds, such as fashion and music. Benson Varghese, a board-certified criminal lawyer and criminal defense attorney, explains that passing something off as authentic or original can present a “quagmire of challenges.”
The predominant issue is drawing the line between inspiration and replication. It’s a very fine line, but they are very different, and legal limitations make it very difficult to take action.
Varghese told Newsweek: “Copyright law protects the expression of an idea, but not the idea itself. If someone creates a piece heavily inspired by your work but with enough differences, it might not be considered infringement. While the legal challenges are complex, artists can navigate this landscape with a blend of legal savvy, creative strategy, and community engagement. Much like the courtroom, the art world is a space where innovation and authenticity should always triumph.”
Varghese suggests registering artwork with the U.S. Copyright Office, which he likens to putting a lock on your creative ideas. It’s also beneficial to document everything from the design process, including sketches and early drafts which can serve as “evidence of originality.”
This was echoed by Zara Watson-Young, an intellectual property attorney, who suggests taking preventive measures from the outset because retrospective legal action can be costly and complex. The founder and CEO of Watson & Young also suggests trademarking any unique elements for protection from “mass-produced knock offs.”
“For an artist selling their creations at higher prices, seeing a $5 imitation can damage their reputation and devalue their brand,” Watson-Young told Newsweek. “It also diverts potential customers, who may choose the cheaper option, leaving the original artist struggling to compete.”
While the legal routes are more conventional, Varghese highlights the importance of building a community of loyal supporters and making them aware of what goes into each piece of art.
“Engage with your audience and educate them about the value of originality. When people understand the story and effort behind each piece, they’re less likely to settle for a knockoff,” he said.
Virginia Chamlee’s design on the left, and the version being sold by Target on the right.
@virginiachamlee / TikTok
How Did TikTok React?
Since her TikTok post went viral, Chamlee has received a wide array of responses already. While some were horrified by the idea of her artwork being allegedly duplicated, others suggested that she “should be grateful” and flattered by the similarities.
“It’s nice to be flattered—but flattery doesn’t pay the bills,” Chamlee told Newsweek.
If anything, Chamlee hopes it will make people aware of dupes and inspire others to speak openly when it happens to them.
“I have had success in my art career, and I do have other sources of income, so I feel fortunate,” she said. “I have a platform that allows me to speak up about something that happens to many artists who rely on their work to survive. I’ve heard from a lot of people who have said similar things have happened to them. There’s little that can be done, legally, for an artist to protect their work. But certainly, they should be unafraid to speak up.”
Among the comments on the viral post, one user wrote: “I’m so sorry! Yours is gorgeous.”
Another user wrote: “I literally saw this today and was like omg I’ve seen the real version of this art by an artist before somewhere?”
While a third added: “I’ve been following you for a while. Love your work. So sorry.”
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