Matthew Williamson, the British celebrity designer, whose achievement have been recognized by the fashion industry consistently for several years, is disappointed as Ethiopia’s Intellectual Property Office conveyed their annoyance over replication of their traditional prints in his creations.
The designer has imprinted these African-inspired designs in his Spring Summer 2008 collection. The Ethiopian Government Woyanne launched an inquiry against him to protect their national costume.
In order to defend Matthew Williamson, his spokesperson, in a statement, said, “Historically, Matthew Williamson bases his collections on the idea of a modern girl who is a global traveler. Her style is in part defined by incorporating many different cultures, traditions and customs.”
It was further stressed, “The spring-summer 2008 season was particularly inspired by the idea of modernizing and celebrating certain traditional African fabrics and costumes.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE
These greedy dictators want to control every thing, even the fashion industry. If we are to follow the Woyanne logic, then the U.S. Government can tell other countries not to manufacture jeans. What a bunch of idiots! If Woyanne stands for Ethiopia’s interest, why does it give away large swaths of fertile land to Sudan?