To be inspired by a design is not an issue but to 100% copy it and claim it as your own, is plagiarism and it’s a serious crime. Last night (Monday, 24th March), influencer Tyra Kamaruzzaman posted on Instagram, calling out local fashion brand Elrah Exclusive and its founder El Azman for plagiarising her husband’s family’s work.
According to the social media personality, the fashion company had copied the sampin design, which originated from her husband Emran’s great-great-grandfather in the 1890s. “From what is a well-loved design, passed down from generation to generation, to being copied by a big brand that has apparently made hundreds of millions in sales. Congratulations, but we’re not here to speak about that,” she wrote before going into further detail about the issue.
Tyra Kamaruzzaman explained that her husband Emran’s family had trademarked the particular sampin design as part of their family heritage, which is why the design shouldn’t be seen elsewhere in stores. However, they discovered that the famous fashion brand had plagiarised the design, down to the smallest detail, including the choice of colour.
“Emran tried to contact the owner, but he kept making excuses whenever they discussed when to meet. It’s been months since we received a reply, yet this brand owner still had time to collaborate with so many artists and influencers?” the influencer elaborated. She even provided photos comparing the two designs—one from her husband’s family and the other from Elrah Exclusive. Not only that, but Tyra also shared the official trademark certification and screenshots of their conversation with the brand owner.
Sadly, their efforts to get a hold of the founder have been fruitless, forcing the celeb to take matters online, hoping it would garner enough attention for El Azman to finally address the situation. Shortly after calling out the local brand, many were furious to learn the truth and offered support to the couple. Fans and celebrity friends criticised the fashion company for plagiarising a design that was meant solely for family members. Others highlighted past controversies involving the owner and his management of the business.
At the time of writing, neither El Azman nor Elrah Exclusive have responded to the allegations. Since Tyra Kamaruzzaman’s husband’s family has trademarked the design, it shouldn’t be a problem for them to take legal action against the brand for plagiarism if the owner fails to respond to their request.
Read Tyra’s full post below:
Source: Instagram
