Primark Selling Prabal Gurung Ripoffs? (PHOTOS)

Has Irish budget retailer Primark ripped off Prabal? Many -- maybe even the designer himself -- seem to think so.

Bloggers for The Fashion Law noticed the similarity between Primark's newest products and Prabal's, posting an Instagram picture of the store's window display with several bright dresses sitting front and center.

The most noticeable is a yellow and black floral print frock that bears a striking resemblance to Look 2 from Prabal Resort 2012, a dress once worn by Sarah Jessica Parker.

Primark's website displays several additional looks that seem to evoke the designer's Resort line, including the white and green "Colour Block Shift Dress" with black sleeves and a white "Contrast Blouse" with a pink and black placket, which look similar to Prabal Resort 2012 looks 12 and 3, respectively. (see below).

Some have also suggested that the purple dresses in the store window evoke Prabal's Spring 2012 line, which was full of purple watercolor and optic prints.

As The Cut noted, "making purple dresses is still perfectly legal this season." But if Primark was aiming to replicate Gurung's designs, it wouldn't be the first time. According to the Daily Mail, Primark has been sued multiple times in the past for copying other brands and designers, such as textiles company Ashley Wilde Boulevard in February 2011, Superdry in 2010 and women's clothing store Monsoon in 2004.

Gurung has commented over Twitter, responding to tweets about Primark's window with the comment, "Oh boy looks like it TY 4 lettin us know." But no word on whether Prabal will pursue Primark or take any further action.

For now, check out Primark's spring looks in both the store window and the website. Do you think the items look too similar to Prabal Resort 2012?

Oh boy looks like it TY 4 lettin us know rt @nickgfromdc: Wow is that primark ripping off @prabalgurung ? instagr.am/p/H66_x-OpXG/

— prabal gurung (@prabalgurung) March 8, 2012

Comments

[Pea K]

01:42 PM on 03/13/2012

It may not hold in court but it's still sad to see Prabal's designs bastardized by a company who don't care about quality, or fashion at all.

http://www.thefrontrowview.com/

[Julie Zerbo]

06:42 PM on 03/12/2012

Read about Pamela Love lookalike designs at Chanel here ... http://www.fashion-law.org/2012/03/chanels-crystal-bangles-look-familiar.html

[Julie Zerbo]

06:58 PM on 03/12/2012

Primark is not the only one copying!!

[julesmu84]

01:39 PM on 03/11/2012

Inspired by/derived from/copy of, who cares - the clothes are gorgeous! Let the courts handle the ugly stuff, and the rest of us focus on the beauty of this collection.

[chedet]

05:38 AM on 03/11/2012

I love Primark.

[thetruthhoits]

05:32 PM on 03/10/2012

You can't legally get a fashion designer for adopting and adapting a look. These designers have never legally made anything stick. They're so stupid and willing to pay lawyers who will take the money knowing they'll lose anyway.

[Dejonnee Roder]

08:23 PM on 03/09/2012

I like Primark. Affordable clothing for all!

[tangelan]

07:48 PM on 03/09/2012

I think a moratorium needs to be called on using skinny models. These clothes look terrible on these models. Compare PIC #2 with the pic of SJP in the same dress. It looks great on her and awful on the model.

[Phranx]

06:01 PM on 03/10/2012

I don't know you but your post most you sound incredibly insecure. If you can appreciate different body types, accept the fact that some people are naturally thin just as some are naturally chubby. Diversity on the runway would be great, but that includes ALL body types. Not just the ones you approve of.

[tangelan]

06:26 PM on 03/10/2012

Theres nothing insecure about anything I said. I think the clothes look better either on their own or on regular people. The clothes don't look good on these models. You're projecting.

[jens2412]

05:38 PM on 03/09/2012

It's more like Mary Katrantzou for Topshop...