Urban Outfitters Hits Back At Indie Designer
LatestUrban Outfitters is denying that it copied Truche designer Stevie Koerner‘s state-with-a-heart-in-it necklace. The company, which is owned by prominent Republican donor Dick Hayne, points out that many designers have made jewelry that includes a heart and a representation of a geographical place, and that the combination of the two elements is essentially generic. (Which it probably is — no matter who came up with the design first, it is probably not copyrightable under U.S. law.) “We are not implying that Koerner stole her necklace idea from one of these other designers, we are simply stating the obvious — that the idea is not unique to Koerner and she can in no way claim to be its originator.” Urban Outfitters, which has a long and well-documented history of pilfering designs from less well-known artists, also mentions that it wouldn’t ordinarily stoop to publicly discussing this kind of thing, except that “the media response to her campaign is threatening to impact the dozens of independent designers we work with on a daily basis. For many of them, having their work sold at Urban Outfitters is a very positive turning point in their careers, and we will not allow their hard work and commitment, or ours, to be undermined by these false allegations.” We reckon they’re just afraid of Miley Cyrus. For a catalog of other, similar jewelry designs sold on Etsy and elsewhere prior to both Koerner’s and Urban Outfitters’ versions, check out this post on Regretsy. [Urban Outfitters]
The Chanel campaign that Carine Roitfeld styled with her typical sultry sexy sexiness features Freja Beha Erichsen in a Chanel facemask. And, in another shot, some sexy black lace. [Fashionologie]
Carine Roitfeld says Kate Winslet will be on the super sexy cover of the next V, which Roitfeld is styling. [The Cut]
Paparazzi snapped photos of Margherita Missoni and some models shooting the campaign for her company’s forthcoming Target collection — which the retailer has been unusually protective of, requiring editors and bloggers to promise not to describe items in any detail, and confiscating their cameras before the press preview. Well, from these photos, the stuff looks an awful lot like Missoni. Surprise. The campaign also seems to involve a turquoise blue Fiat. [TFS
Here is a watch made of diamonds that costs $3 million.[Racked]
Old Navy is selling gay pride t-shirts now. [Fashionista]
- It sounds like Hermès‘ just-concluded annual shareholder meeting was a little more exciting than usual. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, which is known for hostile takeovers (not least of the formerly family-owned company Louis Vuitton), is now an Hermès shareholder. LVMH managed to stealthily acquire more than 20% of Hermès without disclosing its growing stake. Hermès, which is proud of its independence — more than 70% of the company belongs to the descendants of the founder — has been fighting LVMH off ever since. But LVMH still gets to speak at the shareholder meeting, where a representative of the world’s largest luxury conglomerate did an impersonation of a concerned shareholder who just wants Hermès to do well and wouldn’t dream of trying to own it outright. “It would make no sense for LVMH to destabilize Hermès as it would risk compromising the success of this great company. The more this company prospers, the happier we all are as shareholders,” said LVMH. Hermès scoffed, another minority shareholder called LVMH “deceitful” and “hypocritical,” and LVMH’s rep demanded an official sanction. He was booed. [WWD]
- Chely Wright says shopping with a stylist is no walk in the park. She hates shopping, anyway, “But when I have to go on tour, I go spend a couple of days with my stylist in the stores and my stylist convinces me that I have to have, ‘That pair of pants’ or ‘that shirt’ or ‘that dress.’ Cut to a year later: ninety percent of it is still hanging in my closet with the price tag on — like a Chloe top that cost $900.” [Rackedi]
- It sounds like Harper’s Bazaar editor Glenda Bailey‘s job may be in jeopardy. [WWD]
- According to “sources who have seen design boards for the line,” there will be a DVF for Gap Kids collection — probably next summer. The Stella McCartney for Gap Kids line was such a sensation that adults tried to wear it. [WWD]
- The Olsen twins‘ J.C. Penney line, Olsenboye, experienced 65% growth last year. [WWD]
- Alexander Wang is launching a swimwear collection. [WWD]
- Claudia Schiffer says the rumors that her husband, director Matthew Vaughn, is the father of January Jones‘ fetus are “complete nonsense.” [Vogue UK]
- Kate Moss and Jamie Hince have reportedly enlisted Mario Testino as their wedding photographer. [CM]
- Transsexual model Lea T. nabbed a swimwear campaign for the Brazilian brand Blue Man. Shot by Terry Richardson, the campaign also features two male models, kissing. [Made In Brazil]
- Polish model Martyna Bodna: “High school is where you get all the basics so I just felt like I had to do it fully. I love modeling but one day it’s finished and then what?” The strangest thing she’s ever had to do as a model: “Once, I was at a casting for some sort of swim product in Japan and we had to wear a clip on our noses, goggles and a bathing suit. We had to pretend we were swimming. It was so awkward because, I mean, there was no water. We were just running around in circles in front of this camera and I just kept laughing. They were like, ‘Stop laughing!’ but I couldn’t stop.” [WWD]
- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: “When I started modelling, I was definitely heavier. I was quite voluptuous in fact. I had a real baby face and baby fat. But I was a baby! I was told I had to get into better shape, but I’m quite stubborn so I didn’t. I can’t remember a time where I really battled with my body, but I can remember being asked to lose weight and battling with the advice. It hurt me. Especially as my baby fat naturally melted away as I got older.” [Telegraph]
- Patagonia found that making just one of its cotton t-shirts required 703 liters of water. That’s about four bathtubs full. Conventionally grown cotton is one of the most water-intensive crops on the planet; the company is trying to reduce its water use. [WWD]
- Purple editor, art historian manqué, and freelance Booger-from-Revenge-of-the-Nerds-lookalike Olivier Zahm has published a book. It’s called “The Secrets Of Photographing Women.” The secret — wait for it, this is deep — is that there is no secret. Zahm: “I guess the interesting thing is the book is all about the secret, but there really is no secret. It’s that all women are a secret that we try to understand.” [Style.com]
- For some reason, the Sixth Swedish National Pension Fund decided to acquire a majority stake in the fashion brand Jean-Charles de Castelbajac in November of 2008. The pension fund has now stopped backing the company, which has entered receivership in France. Several investors are said to be interested in buying it. [WWD]
- Paying $350 for an “invitation” to New Jersey Fashion Week will get you plenty of “tasty hordorvous [sic] and desserts.” [Racked]
- Moncler‘s application to go public on the Milan stock exchange later this summer has been approved. [WWD]