People Tree accuses Dior of plagiarism, here’s what happened

Leading international brand, Christian Dior has been accused of 'copy-pasting' designs from popular Indian brand, People Tree

By: News Desk |
January 24, 2018 7:17 pm

Right in the beginning of the year two things made headlines in the fashion industry — Anushka’s designer Banarasi saree and Sonam Kapoor gracing the Elle cover. Thanks to social media and alert social media users, someone pointed out how designer Sabyasachi could have given due credit to the original artisans of Benaras, from whom he draws his inspiration. Now, it has come to light that leading international brand Christian Dior has done something similar. A Facebook user noticed how dress that Sonam wore (on the cover of Elle) was allegedly stolen from a very own popular Indian brand, People Tree.

Soon, one of the original designers, Orijit Sen noticed the post and shared their hand-drawn artwork:

While, for many, it is hard to believe that an international brand like Christian Dior would go to the lengths of exactly ‘copy-pasting’ a design from an Indian brand, this is exactly what seems to have happened. And people are obviously outraged at the audacity of the Dior to actually put it out on the cover of Elle and assume that people wouldn’t notice it.

You would assume that a big company like Christian Dior wouldn’t plagiarise a design from People Tree and THEN be stupid enough to let it be on the cover of a major magazine but you would be wrong because all art by the little guys is apparently free for the taking

— Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan (@reddymadhavan) January 23, 2018

Anyone here from @ELLEINDIA? @sonamakapoor is wearing a #Dior dress whose design has been stolen from a small store, People Tree. This is just not done. Please share and RT widely. pic.twitter.com/VCJlp5VBGg

— Sahil Bhalla (@IMSahilBhalla) January 23, 2018

Fashion brands (especially luxury and fast fashion) do this and get away with it scot free! I hope @Dior has the ability to see how unethical and uncool this is. People Tree has and always will be a household name in sustainable fashion and art. #powertothepeople #PeopleTree

— Akriti Niti Guha (@BlahBlahGuha) January 23, 2018

wow so excited about what is going to come out of this dior vs people tree debate over a print design for a dress

— a healing woman (@pursuitofishq) January 23, 2018

Famous designers have, often, lifted designs/prints from smaller and voiceless artisans with impunity.