Mexico accuses Ralph Lauren fashion house of stealing original, local designs

The wife of the Mexican president has accused US luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren of stealing original local designs, which she described as quoting the country’s pre-Hispanic cultures.

“Hi Ralph (Lauren), we already know that you are fond of Mexican designs. By copying those designs you are committing plagiarism, which is illegal and immoral,” researcher and writer Beatrice Guterres said in an Instagram post.

The post showed pictures of a colorful coat with original local patterns hanging in a store, bearing the Ralph Lauren brand.

Ralph Lauren did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters discovered that the coat is currently being sold on a store’s website for $360.

The company has previously apologized after being accused of quoting cultural designs in separate incidents.

“We hope that you will compensate the indigenous communities that made this work with love, not for profit, for the damage done to them,” Guterres said in her post. She stated that the designs are for the indigenous communities of Contia and Saltillo.

Since taking office in 2018, Mexican President Andre Manuel Lopez Obrador has launched an intense campaign to restore Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage.

This included filing complaints against auction houses in the United States and Europe and the repatriation of dozens of Mexican artifacts. 

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