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Throughout all this, Gold's only false move may have been not taking out his brand earlier. Plagiarism is epidemic in the furniture industry, and there are few designers who haven't borrowed, if not stolen, from his work. But, as is not the case with Chanel perfume or Rolex watches, few people care whether their slipcovered sofa is an authentic Mitchell Gold or a knockoff, and that could hurt him. Nonetheless, there's no arguing with his influence: he is everywhere. Walk into any hipster apartment from New York City to Nashville, Tenn., and you will see his work, or at least his influence. "I do think about not letting stuff get too pedestrian," Gold says. "I was in London a few months ago, and I saw all this furniture being unloaded into a flat, and I said, 'That's my Kathleen sofa! That's my Pottery Barn chair! This is really too much!'" Never one to miss an opportunity, Gold walked right in and introduced himself to the owner. "The first thing she asked me was 'Where's Lulu?'"