The Longshoreman's Daughter: #BoycottZara

Image: courtesy of AdamJK

ZARA, the world's largest apparel retailer, and notorious 'fast-fashion' copycat brand, is at it again this summer ripping off popular independent artists around the globe and selling their poorly-fabricated, illegal / unauthorized reproductions across their main, and subsidiary companies. When confronted they clapped back at one LA-based, indie artist, Tuesday Bassen, with a very neaner-neaner we're more popular than you, so we can steal your work kind of response. Which, I'm sure she was thrilled to receive after dropping 2k on a professionally drafted Cease & Desist letter to the company informing them of their misstep.

If Zara thinks acting like a stuck-up prom queen after being called out on their theft is winning them any popularity contests, they are mistaken. It's very disappointing when the largest apparel, and accessories retail chain founded by Amancio Ortega (the second richest man in the world, and richest in Europe) has to steal from independent artists and sell ripped-off designs when there are much smaller businesses out there contracting with these same artists following all appropriate legal channels to bring lesser known or underground trends to larger audiences. If these businesses can accomplish this task, I'm sure Ortega and his ilk can figure it out as well ... if they want to.

Original artists listed left to right:
Tuesday Bassen
Juliette Mallete
Adam J. Kurtz
Georgia Perry
Maria Inges Gul
Big Bud Press
Ivonna Buenrostro
Strawberry Moth
Gabriella Sanchez
Explorer's Press
Mokuyobi Threads
Anna Santaguida

The list just seems to keep growing ... At last count it appears ZARA has lifted 42 separate works from other artists and reproduced them. For a frequently updated running list please visit ShopArtTheft.com, and support the original artists.

For your reading pleasure:
Shop Art Theft Collection
(Adam J. Kurtz)

An Independent Artist Has Accused Zara Of Stealing Her Designs

(Buzzfeed)

Least Creative Thing Of The Day: Zara Rips Off Indie Designer Tuesday Bassen's Work

(Co.Create)

Artist Claims Zara Doesn’t Care About Stealing Her Designs Because She Isn’t Popular Enough

(Complex)

Zara Makes a New Enemy, Steals Tuesday Bassen’s Designs

(College Candy)

Zara copied an indie artist's designs but said it’s NBD ‘cause she’s not famous
(Cosmopolitan)
Indie designer accuses Zara of stealing work, Zara says artist's work isn't 'distinctive'
(The Daily Dot)

Copy cats: Indie designer claims chain store Zara 'copied' her work...and told her they reject her copyright claims because they have more followers than her

(Daily Mail)

How come the high street can blatantly steal designs?