Hot pink sculptures on display at Aritzia at centre of U.S. copyright lawsuit

Vancouver-based retailer Aritzia is being sued by a California artist who says the chain has been displaying replicas of his sculptures at shops throughout North America with out his permission.

Richard X. Zawitz, who owns Tangle Creations, is in search of as much as $30,000 in damages for every alleged copyright infringement by Aritzia, in line with a grievance filed in U.S. federal courtroom for the Northern District of California final month.

At the guts of the problem are sizzling pink chrome sculptures made up of 18 interlocking, curved items that may be twisted into varied shapes.

“The striking similarities between the infringing sculptures and the Tangle sculptures indicate that defendants committed their infringing acts deliberately, willfully, and maliciously, without regard to plaintiff’s proprietary rights in the Tangle copyright registrations,” the lawsuit reads.

Included within the courtroom paperwork is a photograph of Zawitz’s copyright for Tangle sculptures, in addition to a sculpture on show at an Aritzia retail retailer that he describes as “substantially similar.”

In his grievance, Zawitz argues Aritzia ought to have been accustomed to his paintings—which he’s been creating for the previous 4 a long time—by means of worldwide collaborations with vogue giants like Vogue Italia and J.W. Anderson.

He supplied proof within the type of a 2007 unfold in L’Uomo Vogue during which Michael Jackson donned a Tangle sculpture.

Not solely is Aritzia displaying sculptures much like those Zawitz has been creating for the previous 4 a long time, the retailer’s spring 2023 advertising and marketing marketing campaign additionally makes use of parts of Tangle’s tagline “possibility, flexibility, and multiple viewpoints,” in line with the grievance.

“The infringing sculptures, as part of defendants’ spring 2023 marketing campaign, have served an instrumental role in attracting a larger number of customers to defendants’ retail stores and increasing defendants’ sales and profits,” reads the lawsuit.

A spokesperson for Aritzia says the case is at present below overview.

“These sculptures were created by Artizia’s in-house designers who strive to create an everyday luxury, aspirational shopping environment for our clients,” the spokesperson stated in an electronic mail to CTV News.

Aritizia has been displaying the sculptures of concern at retail shops in each the U.S. and Canada, plus the retailer has highlighted the paintings by means of its social media accounts, the lawsuit notes.

Zawitz is demanding a trial by jury, and to be compensated for “any and all profits realized” by Aritizia’s alleged exploitation of his artwork.

CTV News reached out to Zawitz, however didn’t obtain a response.