Reputed British fashion designer John Galliano has been found guilty of plagiarism by a French court.
The haute couture designer has been ordered to pay US$271,000 as damages to American photographer Willam Klein for employing his trademark technique of painting over photos, for five glossy magazine advertisements. The ads which feature three images of models highlighted with brush strokes, have appeared in March edition of Vogue and Elle in Britain, France and Russia.
Klein accused Galliano of violating intellectual property law, for using the technique without the permission of the photographer, developed by him more than a decade ago.
Galliano, the chief designer of Christian Dior admitted to being ‘inspired’ but denied ‘plagiarism’.
The advertisements have been withdrawn from all the magazines.
Paris-based Klein, 79, said that he was furious because his contact-painting technique was employed without his permission. He was quoted saying
I was very bitter and angry when I found out. It felt like a kick in the teeth to the integrity of my work.
