Jeremy Scott, the Skateboard Controversy and Moschino

The news that designer Jeremy Scott has been named creative director at ever-whimsical Moschino, one of my favorite fashion houses, reminded me of an item I had lurking in my blog drafts. Last month, Scott settled with NHS, Inc./Santa Cruz Skateboards after the latter accused Scott of using artist Jimbo Phillips’s distinctive skateboard graphics in Scott’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection. While the financial settlement wasn’t revealed, Scott issued a statement:

“I regret that certain pieces of my February 2013 Fall Winter fashion line incorporated imagery that was similar to images owned by NHS and Messrs. Phillips. I now recognize my mistake and out of respect to their work and their rights, the clothing and handbags at issue will not be produced or distributed.”

Here is one example of the unlicensed Phillips/Scott crossover, courtesy of The Berrics.

Click to see eight more examples comparing Scott’s clothing to the original skateboard art.

I was happy to see the original artist and the skateboard company win here. However, I’m a little surprised that they did, because, even though the similarities are obvious, there are some differences too. Look at the mouth in the examples above, for instance. It seems to me that changes like that are often enough to protect the copier in the eyes of the law, even though anyone with eyes in his/her head can see where the inspiration came from. In this case, common sense prevailed. Woot!

While this incident was no laughing matter to Jimbo Phillips, I had a little chuckle over this story simply because the first place I spotted it was on the Hypebeast website. I had an interesting experience with Hypebeast in 2008, when I saw a picture of a real gold belt credited to “Wendy Brandes Jewelry of London” in a Hypebeast forum. I was surprised, considering I had never heard of a Wendy Brandes Jewelry based in London, nor could I find any reference to one online. I became suspicious that someone was using my name, so I asked on the forum, “Is there a Wendy Brandes Jewelry in London? Wendy Brandes Jewelry in New York wants to know. And who would waste that much gold on a belt, even as a publicity stunt?” The whole thread was immediately yanked … yet I got an email telling me I’d been banned from the Hypebeast forums for posting a spammed advertisement! DAFUQ? Why was I in trouble for politely investigating the possible misuse of my name and business identity? I emailed Hypebeast three times to try to get an answer and never heard back. So, yeah, seeing Hypebeast report on Jeremy Scott’s use of another person’s intellectual property tickled me a bit.

The good news is that Scott definitely won’t lack for inspiration now, because he’s got the wonderful Moschino archives to draw from. I wore a vintage Moschino last week.

Click for original post.

Here are some of my other fun Moschino pieces.

VIP dress in 2011. Click for original post.

A top worn last year. Click for original post.

I still wear this leather jacket all the time. This photo is from 2009. Click for original post.

Now that it’s getting cool out, I’ll wear this wool Moschino skirt. Photo from 2011. Click for original post.

I was busting out of my Moschino jacket when I met some gorgeous bloggers in 2007.

This jacket is quite amusing but the only photo I have is tiny.

I need to wear this jacket soon so I can get a bigger picture! This photo is from 2009.

I have worn this heart dress for more than one Valentine’s Day dinner.

Photo from 2009.

I do have a few more pieces, but the photos are proving elusive. That should inspire me to get those pieces out for outfit photos. I’m making a mental note of that!

UPDATED TO ADD: I found another photo! This one was taken in Paris in the summer of 2003. I still have this heart printed cami. I bought it to go under a pinstriped Moschino skirt suit that I wore (with the jacket buttoned!) to work at Lehman Brothers. That ensemble was one of my first big purchases at Bergdorf Goodman, and I still only shop with the same sales associate who sold it to me. I’m loyal that way.