Shop Art Theft: Website Sells Original Versions of All the Designs Zara Ripped Off

We reported last week that Spanish fast-fashion empire Zara has been accused by indie artist Tuesday Bassen of stealing images and motifs from Bassen, Adam J. Kurtz, Georgia Perry and other illustrators without credit to incorporate into their designs. Bassen has recounted her legal struggles against the brand on social media, reportedly investing thousands of dollars into a cease-and-desist letter that’s been dismissed by Zara, who cited Bassen’s relative obscurity as an excuse to use her artwork without permission.

However, now, Adam J. Kurtz has opened a website titled “Shop Art Theft,” an effort to support indie designers and artists whose work has been ripped off by Zara. The site’s description reads:

Once is a mistake. This many times is inexcusable. Global fashion retailer Zara appears to have stolen dozens of artworks from over 20 independent illustrators, designers, and brands including Tuesday Bassen (whose particularly awful case has gone viral) and Adam J. Kurtz (that’s me). Help us hold the company accountable to directly address this glaring intellectual property infringement and fairly compensate these artists.

Kurtz’s site goes on to catalogue a lengthy collection of original artwork and designs, complete with photos and links, all of which Zara and its sister brands Bershka, Pull & Bear and more have replicated nearly exactly on bags, pin sets, stickers and apparel. The intention is to have shoppers purchase the similar designs from the artists who illustrated them and shine a light on Zara’s wrongdoings, which unfortunately are a fairly common practice amongst large corporations.

Towards the bottom of the page, Kurtz answers questions about copyright infringement, brand accountability and more, as well as provides links to third-party websites and social media where users can send a pre-written tweet to the brands or submit comparison photos of other instances of art theft. Visit Shop Art Theft here and make sure to support local and independent artists by purchasing directly from their websites.