They say that no idea is original, but Jeremy Scott may be learning that first hand.
His Fall 2013 runway show featured the usual amount of Jeremy Scott over-the-top-ness, but there were a few looks in particular that caught the attention of some who may not be so thrilled with his designs.
Jim Phillips was an iconic artist whose artwork appeared on many skateboards throughout the ’80s and ’90s, particularly decks by Santa Cruz Skates. Based on comparisons of the artwork used on Jeremy Scott’s Fall ’13 collection, it’s clear that he was directly inspired by the work of Jim Phillips. Although the images are not exact replicas of each other, Jeremy’s images are too similar to not understand why the word “plagiarism” is being thrown around.
In a statement about the matter at hand, Robert A. Denike, CEO and President of NHS, Inc./Santa Cruz Skateboards says:
“We had never heard of Jeremy Scott until it was brought to our attention. This is not a collaboration or under license, nor did we or the Phillips family approve the use of this artwork on his apparel designs in any way.
It’s obvious to us, the Phillips family, the fans of Jim Phillips Sr. and Jimbo Phillips, and fans of the brand Santa Cruz Skateboards, as well as many in the global skateboard and skate art community that there is clear and obvious infringement by Mr. Scott. We are discussing this with our legal team to determine our next steps.
These two artists and this brand are iconic. Any true fan of skateboarding will tell you how the Phillips artwork style, this brand and the activity of skateboarding has positively influenced their lives. It may just be artwork to Mr. Scott, to be used and thrown away by next season, but these artists and brand mean a lot to many people around the world. And by the looks of the outcry on social media, skateboarders and non-skater’s alike are angry to have two of their most favored artists and one of the original true skateboard brands violated in such a way.
I hope that Mr. Scott sees that his actions have hurt and affected many people, including the Phillips family, and that he has also severely damaged his own reputation. It is not too late for him to do the right thing, as an artist and creative person, and fix his error in judgement.”
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At this point, Jeremy Scott has not responded to any of these allegations. Only time will tell how this plays out, but look at the photos in the gallery above and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
