Anifa Mvuemba claims fast fashion brand ripped off her designs

ANIFA MVUEMBA: Defending her designs

KNOWN FOR her high-end curve-hugging pieces fashion designer Anifa Mvuemba took to Twitter last weekend to call out UK-based retailer PrettyLittleThing for apparently ripping off one of her designs.

It’s not the first time Muvemba, the self-taught designer, who launched her business Hanifa in 2012, has had to call out fashion retailers for being ‘inspired’ by her designs.

In 2017 the 29-year-old posted an off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved dress for sale on ASOS which looked every inch like one of her own.

At the time she said: “I mean you see it on social media, you see it every day.

“But when it actually happens to you, it hits home.”

Big companies copying and reproducing the work of indie and up and coming designers with a subtle or not so subtle twist is an ongoing issue in the fashion world.

Muvemba’s latest gripe is with PrettyLittleThing who she took aim at recently, writing “I usually don’t speak on these things, however prettylittlenothing is trash for this.”

The comment was accompanied by an image of clothing which were strikingly similar.

One fan of the designer commented on the post, “I just hate how unprotected designers are. There are barely any laws or regulations when it comes to protecting designs.

“That’s a F-U to creatives. It’s a career just like any other and it deserves legal attention.”

@kaniseofficial chimed in: “Ugh as a designer this saddens me. But at the same time, this is how fast fashion works. It sucks.”

A Pretty Little Thing spokesperson said: “We have reviewed the product in question and can confirm our design inspiration was taken from an existing vintage style.

“There are noticeable differences between Anifa’s designs and ours.”

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