NATIONAL: White Sands has made an official response regarding the threatened legal action against the company by Seafolly.
White Sands owner Leah Madden alleges Seafolly sent an employee to view the brand's private spring/summer collection showing at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week (RAFW) in Sydney on May 6 this year.
“I had a ‘buyer’ from Sunburn book a private showing over RAFW and photograph the collection,” she said. “That ‘buyer’ is actually a Seafolly employee.”
Sunburn is Seafolly’s retail store division.
Swimwear giant Seafolly yesterday threatened legal action against White Sands, following a mass mail out from the White Sands head office, which accused the brand of repeatedly ripping off its designs.
“I am also not claiming outright copying, just questioning the issue of similarity, in light of the fact that they requested the viewing earlier in the year,” said Madden.
An undisclosed number of recipients, including www.ragtrader.com.au, received the email from wholesale@whitesandsaustralia.com yesterday 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.
“Is it just us, or has Seafolly taken a little to (sic) much ‘inspiration’ from White Sands?,” the body of the email questioned.
Ragtrader Online has confirmed the email was sent from White Sands’ head office, and gathered an official statement from Seafolly.
The Seafolly statement alleged Madden also posted similar claims and images on her facebook page.
For more information on the Seafolly statement, click here: EXCLUSIVE Seafolly v White Sands: Swim labels at arms