[eStore] Deluxe Wednesday May 17, 2023 Borzoi Puppy!!

I'm really confused about the Borzoi. There was a fan-designed Borzoi by victoriasami_webkinz (which is really good and i love how it has the soft silky fur of a real borzoi) and it became a finalist in the pet design contest. Now they announce a Borzoi pup just a few months later. looks a little fishy. Obvs Borzois were a big trend earlier this year because of tiktok and capitalizing on that hype is just a good business plan, so I get it. And maybe there was already a Borzoi model in the works at the time and they thought if that design won the contest they were ahead of the curve on finishing that model.

The artist posted in the Discord about how they felt about a design so close to theirs being released without credit only a few months later, and brought up the good point that in the terms and conditions of the contest it says that Ganz holds all rights to all entries submitted. Which does kinda suck from an artist's perspective. I don't think victoriasami_webkinz really minds that another borzoi was released or that the design is different, i think they just wanted some recognition. it's a very common issue that a lot of modern artists go through because it is just so easy to duplicate and pirate and resell content nowadays (Ganz did not pirate content bc of terms & conditions). They probably just want a nod in their direction and I want that for them too.

It's sticky because eStore & design team probably did really like the Borzoi design but they're also on a ticking trend clock and the Borzoi hype is cooling off. Part of me thinks this is a Borzoi "pup" and not an adult version because of the design contest, like maybe they wanted it to look inspired by but not ripping off the submission. Maybe they have plans for an adult borzoi pet in the future. I've been thinking about it a lot since the pup was announced, it just feels a shame. the timeline is all off and i wish they would have given the artist a lil shoutout or something. or I kinda even wish that if they wanted to make a Borzoi, they probably shouldn't have selected it as a finalist to begin with. Sorry to ramble, it's just been on my mind.

Here's victoriasami_webkinz's design again. plus irl borzoi dogs (image just from googling). i really do prefer the silky fur in the fan design, looks so gentle and soft. also how the snout just ends with the nose, no mouth is showing bc that's how the real dog's face looks. even when they open their mouths they're just all nose lol
luckily borzoi pup isn't very egg-looking in clothes! win! huge feet tho