Nobody likes to see a big corporation bully around an independent designer—and, while it probably happens all the time without the shopping public really knowing, this time one LA designer is calling out retail chain Zara for ripping her off.
Tuesday Bassen has made a name for herself around the indie art and design world both locally and online with her whimsical and clever illustration and design work. She has done work with Urban Outfitters, Nike and Adidas and has been named one of GOOD Magazine’s top 25 female designers, among other accolades.
Her own product line, available at local boutiques including Myrtle, features enamel pins and fabric patches, and it’s those that are at the crux of her dispute with the Spanish mega-brand. She released images yesterday showing the uncanny similarity between her products and those being sold at Zara stores without her approval. The Zara items have been for sale for some time, with Bassen’s legions of keen-eyed internet fans sending her pictures when they found them around the world, but it was only after hiring an attorney to contact Zara and eventually receiving a brush-off from the store's legal team that she spoke out. Essentially, Zara's lawyers told her that so many people shop at Zara that the relatively small number of people who recognized the work as similar to Bassen’s were rendered irrelevant in their estimation.
News media sites including Jezebel shared the artist’s damning photos and the galling letter she received, which magnified the outrage against the fast-fashion brand. Today, Inditex, which owns Zara, released a follow-up statement which, as reported in Vogue, seemed to take the infringement claims somewhat more seriously than they did in their previous letter. Now they claim they have opened an investigation and pulled the suspicious items off store shelves.
It’s unclear what will come of the situation or if Tuesday Bassen will ever see a cent of whatever Zara made from selling the knock-offs. As an independent artist, she has acknowledged the legal fees to pursue much action against such a big company are not very feasible.
Now, if only someone made some kind of item you could affix on your jacket to show your support for a cause. A pin, perhaps.