Adventures in Copyrights: Lanvin: Copy, Paste

lanvin AIC.jpg We had on odd tip waiting in our inbox this morning and it went like this:

“A store across from Ben Sherman at Spring and Mercer took one of Lanvin’s drawings and put it on one of their hoodies. The funny part is that it still says Lanvin.”

We were confused and very curious, so we headed straight down to the medium-sized store, Unpomela.

After several minutes of unsuccessful searching, we decided to consult the shopkeeper. We tried to explain to the sweet but confused girl how Lanvin is spelled and exactly who Alber Elbaz is. We thought we must have landed in an alternate universe.

But then there it was, a funny looking tee with a very familiar drawing printed on the front; a drawing that is an exact replica of the image that appears on Lanvin’s own new line of tees.

But wait, what? How did this happen? Doesn’t copyright infringement apply to frumpy, red hoodie-shirts? Does Alber know his face is smiling on the front of an imposter?

And who copies Lanvin anyway?

—AUDREY SMITH

lanvin AIC 2.jpg

posted by guest

Aug 04, 2008 4:19PM

Wow. :/

Aug 04, 2008 4:21PM

You would think that because it is technically signed with both Alber's name and Lanvin it would be copyrighted...

You would think Ben Sherman would have been smarter than that. I mean it's one thing to copy the idea, it's another to physically copy and paste.

posted by cassie

Aug 04, 2008 4:22PM

how ridiculous! on a side note, my friend told me she went into the gap the other day and nobody even knew who patrick robinson was!

Aug 04, 2008 4:32PM

It wasn't at Ben Sherman, it was across the street from Ben Sherman!

posted by catlovescoco

Aug 04, 2008 4:39PM

So sad...

Aug 04, 2008 4:53PM

"Sweet but confused"? Wow, pretentious much? Some people aren't into fashion quite as knee-deep as others.
As to who copies Lanvin? Well, you did in March with that DIY tee. I have to say, though, that image isn't worth copying.

Aug 04, 2008 5:30PM

While I agree that the ripoff is awful, do you think accosting the shopgirl and calling her "sweet and confused" is really appropriate? She is just a hired employee who is trying to make a living. Go to the manufacturers and get in their faces, not the shopgirl's.

Aug 04, 2008 6:00PM

Who the heck would rip of Alber Elbaz's geniousness?

Aug 04, 2008 6:55PM

Lame. How ridiculous to think they would get away with it.

Aug 04, 2008 7:07PM

I can't believe the shop girl didn't instantly recognize the ugly doodle as the work of a genius. I guess that's why she works a lowly retail job instead of having a website where she belittles people.

posted by CovetDeschanel

Aug 04, 2008 7:10PM

That's terrible and it's even more terrible because it's Alber's signature cartoon. The doodle in the middle is his signature picture of himself... If you work at the Gap it is best to know who Patrick Robinson is... if for no other reason than because you work there and it's best to know who designs the line to sell to customers.

Aug 04, 2008 8:56PM

Guest at 11, you actually think its important for gap employees to know who Patrick Robinson is? Gap is a mall store, if Patrick hadn't been slightly established in the fashion world before working at gap no one would know who the head designer at Gap is. The same goes for any mall store.

Aug 04, 2008 9:19PM

that is really strange...I understand why they would copy an "aspirational" brand like Dior, but most people who appreciate Lanvin would probably rather have nothing than a fake (right?).

p.s. what is so bad about calling someone "sweet and confused"? I mean, I feel like this site has made a few ill-advised/pretentious comments in the past, but people have been calling them out on absolutely everything lately...I used to like the comments here, but they aren't as fun anymore...

posted by williamwallace

Aug 05, 2008 12:13AM

this is almost comical-the blatantness of it. and to the 6th commenter- your post brings up something that most everyone is guilty of. If Forever 21 is bashed because they copy their designs from other companies, is it any better/ethical if individuals do it, such as the DIY heels or the DIY Lanvin shirt? I mean, I know that an individual isn't mass producing what they make, but I mean, they are still technically "copying." I'm completely and utterly guilty of this, but your comment just made me question this.

Aug 05, 2008 10:01AM

um, who DOESN'T copy lanvin?

posted by hipstersdontlie

Aug 05, 2008 2:47PM

I think that's pretty funny. The lanvin t-shirt costs like $450 and the hoodie is probaby, what, $60?

Aug 06, 2008 1:41AM

Hey 13,

Forget sweet and confused. She said she "tried" to explain how to spell Lanvin to someone. It's got six letters. That's kinda mean.

posted by Betsy Courtvilla

Oct 23, 2008 1:31AM

I don't understand why the attack on the girl? Some of the young people who work at boutiques work there to make a living not because it's their dream job. They don't care what kind of designers there are...they care about how they will pay for their college tuition, their rent, the food they will eat, their bills. This shouldn't be an outrage or surprise because designers rip of each other's designs all the time. Attack the manufacturer not the store or the sales girl because it makes you people clearly look pathetic and ignorant!