Taylor Swift was accused last week of stealing a merchandise design from a Black-owned business called the Folklore. After the artist and owner of the business, Amira Rasool, called out Swift and her team on social media, the pop star committed to redesigning the merch.
Rasool’s store sells different products, such as home decor, clothing and accessories made by African designers. On Twitter, Rasool wrote on July 24, “Wait hold up. Taylor Swift, it’s one thing to use the name ‘Folklore,’ but we’re out here stealing Black women’s logos too?”
She later shared her disappointment on Instagram, writing, “Based on the similarities of the design, I believe the designer of the merch ripped off my company’s logo. I am sharing my story to bring light to the trend of large companies/celebrities copying the work of small minority-owned business owners.”
“I am not going to let this blatant theft go unchecked,” she added.
Swift and her team made a statement on Good Morning America on Tuesday.
“Yesterday, we were made aware of a complaint that the specific use of the word ‘the’ before ‘folklore album’ on some of the ‘folklore’ album merchandise was of concern,” a representative for Swift said. “Absolutely no merchandise using ‘the’ before the words ‘folklore album’ has been manufactured or sent out.”
The statement continued, “In good faith, we honored her request and immediately notified everyone who had ordered merchandise with the word ‘the’ preceding ‘folklore album’ that they will now receive their order with the design change.”
After the statement was made public, Rasool responded on Twitter. “I commend Taylor’s team for recognizing the damage the merchandise caused to my company @TheFolklore’s brand,” she wrote on Thursday. “I recognize that she has been a strong advocate for women protecting their creative rights, so it was good to see her team is on the same page.”
She said that she and Swift’s team were in talks about how to proceed and “make this situation right.”
Swift later tweeted, “Amira, I admire the work you’re doing and I’m happy to make a contribution to your company and to support the Black in Fashion Council (launching on 8/3) with a donation.”
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H/T Fox News