On April 26th, famous producer DJ Premier called out Spanish-based fashion retailer Zara. He is calling the company’s reputation into question after being accused of stealing Gang Starr’s logo. Zara used the logo to launch a new collection of jackets. DJ Premier is accusing Zara of plagiarism.
On DJ Premier’s right forearm, he has a tattoo that reads, “Reputation is the cornerstone of power.”. He is upset at the fact they never reached out to him.
DJ Premier Accusing Zara
Premo posted a video on Instagram featuring two leather jackets and a bomber jacket with the “Never Break” patch on the back. Which resembles Gang Starr’s famous circle-and-star symbol that the group’s cult following has been using since.
The DJ took it to his Instagram to show his fans.
DJ Premier’s protest was confronted with anger by a number of his fellow rappers and admirers alike, with Pharoahe Monch, Jeru The Damaja, Kardinal Offishall Termanology, and Marco Polo among those expressing their displeasure with the comments on his post.
Zara has over 2,000 stores across the globe and profited nearly 3.4 billion in 2021. However, they have yet to comment on the situation.
First, Zara isn’t a fan of accusations of plagiarism. In 2016, around a dozen artists from the independent community came forward and claimed that Zara stole their designs.
Then on Tuesday, the illustrator from Los Angeles, Bassen, filed a lawsuit against the fashion retailer. However, she is claiming they stole four of her original artwork without authorization or compensation.
Bassen came out and spoke on Instagram and talked about how Zara spoke down on her. They essentially said that she had no base to go off because she is a small-time indie artist, and not enough people know who she is.
She states, “I had my lawyer contact Zara. Then they literally said I have no base because I’m an indie artist and they’re a major Zara clothing corporation and that not enough people even know about me for it to matter.”
Finally, Zara immediately suspends all sales of these products. In the end, they are cooperating with the situation and want it resolved as swiftly as possible.
