Designers from New York have accused the fashion retailer Brandy Melville of copying their Western-themed logo, a situation that has gained attention due to pop star Ariana Grande and other celebrities.
“Brandy Melville took my logo and has also reproduced a number of shirts. Today, we’re going to check if they have them in-store. It’s unfortunate, but we may have to buy one for legal purposes,” a designer stated.
The video shows Emma DiMarco at the Union Square location, pulling a $21 red t-shirt off a rack. The shirt features the phrase “kissing cowboy” in white letters alongside a black silhouette of a cowboy.
“I’m honestly at a loss for words. This is just unbelievable,” DiMarco expressed in the clip.
Reports indicate that Brandy Melville, which started in Italy in the ’90s and expanded to the U.S. in 2009, has faced numerous accusations surrounding its workplace culture, including issues of discrimination.
A former employee shed light on these workplace concerns in the 2024 HBO documentary “Brandy Melville and the Cult of Fast Fashion.”
DiMarco claims that other major fashion brands have also exploited her work, profiting from designs she created for a vintage pop-up event in Brooklyn last year.
“They must have taken a screenshot of our flyer and just removed the cigarette from the cowboy’s mouth. But the spacing of the letters and the cowboy’s features are identical,” she lamented.
“They’re utterly shameless, and it infuriates me. Honestly, what can we do about it?” DiMarco told reporters.
The fast fashion retailer has since taken the t-shirts off their website.
DiMarco is contemplating legal action against the company as she continues to evaluate her options.
Brandy Melville has not provided any comments regarding the situation.
