Katy Perry's Met Ball dress targeted for copyright infringement

Joseph Tierney, a Brooklyn street artist who goes by the pen name Rime, has filed a copyright infringement suit against Jeremy Scott and Moschino, the designer and company responsible for the striking dress Katy Perry wore to May's Met Ball. He claims the dress imitates a signature piece of graffiti he tagged on a Detroit building.

His suit was filed on August 5, and his attorneys allege that by creating Perry's dress and widely publicizing its appearance at the ball, the designers profited from Tierney's designs without getting a proper license.

"Not only was [Rime's] art exploited by [Scott and Moschino], but his credibility as a graffiti artist was compromised by inclusion in such a crass and commercial publicity stunt," stated the court documents, adding that "Rime has always chosen his commercial projects carefully. While he accepted Disney's invitation to reinterpret Mickey Mouse, and placed his original designs on Adidas and Converse footwear, Rime regularly declines corporate offers to license his work."

The dress Perry wore had a black base, and featured a colorful, graffiti-inspired design on its lower half and gloves. Model Gigi Hadid, who wore the same dress during Moschino's autumn/winter 2015 fashion show, has also been named in the suit.

This isn't the first time a fashion designer has been sued by a street artist. Last year, three graffiti artists sued Roberto Cavalli for allegedly deriving several clothing designs from a mural they'd painted. The suit has yet to resolve.

If you believe someone is unfairly profiting off of your work without your permission, it's important to contact a skilled business attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer can help protect your rights in case of litigation, and get you just compensation.

Categorised in: Entertainment Law, Intellectual Property Law

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