UPDATE: White Sands owner Leah Madden speaks out in response to Seafolly legal threat. Read here:
EXCLUSIVE White Sands speaks out
NATIONAL: Swimwear giant Seafolly has threatened legal action against competitor White Sands, following a mass mail out which accused the brand of repeatedly ripping off its designs.
At the centre of the storm is a verified email account from within the White Sands head office.
An undisclosed number of recipients, including www.ragtrader.com.au, received an email from wholesale@whitesandsaustralia.com today with the subject header 'The most sincere form of flattery?'.
The email contained a series of side-by-side campaign images from White Sands and Seafolly, with dated captions underneath.
One set of images showed two models in almost identical white, strapless bikinis. The caption read 'White Sands 2009 Seafolly 2010'.
"Is it just us, or has Seafolly taken a little to (sic) much 'inspiration' from White Sands?," the body of the email questioned.
Matters reached a head this afternoon when a street-focussed fashion blog posted a story on the email, without a statement from Seafolly or White Sands. Ragtrader Online has since confirmed the email was sent from White Sands' head office, and gathered an official statement from Seafolly.
The Seafolly statement alleged White Sands founder Leah Madden also posted similar claims and images on her facebook page.
"Ms Madden has posted on her facebook page reproductions of photographs from Seafolly's catalogue showing the Seafolly garments which she claims are copies of swimwear garments designed by White Sands Swimwear," the statement read.
Seafolly chief executive Anthony Halas claimed many of the designs were released to market before White Sands. He said the company will be taking immediate action to cause Madden to withdraw her claims.
"Seafolly is shocked by the claims made by Leah Madden on her website. Seafolly is a well known international swimwear company that prides itself on its original swimwear designs.
"Seafolly employs a large design team to create its original and innovative swimwear and it would never copy a swimwear design of any competitor in the marketplace.
"Seafolly takes vigorous action against people who copy its designs and it has issued numerous infringement actions against copyists in Australia and internationally.
"Seafolly is committed to taking action against Ms Madden to set the record straight and to ensure that Seafolly's reputation as an innovative designer is maintained."
Madden declined to comment on the record when contacted by www.ragtrader.com.au.