Designers often draw ideas from preexisting designs, and there is nothing wrong with that provided copyright law and design law is respected. And designers often draw ideas from history and culture. Think about Louis XIV style furniture or bohemian style inspired dresses. But where to draw the line between the designer's freedom and "cultural misinterpretation"? And how do you properly "clear" any such potential conflicts during the design process? Design clearance is often described as "the dark art" - given the difficulties to comprehensively search prior rights. The risk of "cultural misinterpretation" is adding an additional layer to it.
Frausto had accused Marant of using “elements of the culture and identity of the people’s and communities of Mexico” in her fall 2020 Étoile Isabel Marant collection, where its Gabin Cape drew on patterns and designs originating from indigenous Mexican communities like the Purépecha of Michoacán.
