Ralph Lauren apologises after being accused of ‘plagiarising’ Indigenous designs

Designer says it is ‘open to dialogue’ about how it can ‘do better’

Ralph Lauren (Getty Images)

Ralph Lauren has apologised after the American fashion house was accused of “plagiarising” Indigenous designs.

The designer was criticised for allegedly copying designs from two Indigenous communities by Beatriz Gutiérrez Mülle, the wife of Mexico’s president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

In a post to Instagram on Thursday, Mülle shared a picture of a Ralph Lauren robe for sale in a shop.

“Hey Ralph: We realised that you really like Mexican designs, especially those that elaborate ancestral cultures that preserve the textile tradition,” she captioned the image.

“However, when you copy these designs you fall into plagiarism, and as you know, plagiarism is illegal and immoral. At least acknowledge it.

“And hopefully you repair the damage to the Indigenous communities who do that work out of love and not for millionaire profit.”

Mülle added that the particular design appropriated patterns of garments worn by the Contla and Saltillo people.

In a statement to Reuters, Ralph Lauren said it was “surprised” to see the product on sale, as it had issued an earlier notice to remove the product from its line some months ago.

“We are deeply sorry this happened and, as always, we are open to dialogue about how we can do better,” it said in a statement.

Mülle explained the heritage and significance of the Indigenous designs in a follow up Instagram post.

She shared a photograph of the striped garments hanging on a washing line that she took during a visit to the village of Contla.

Mülle said the cloaks are called Sarapes, and are a mix of Spanish and indigenous clothes, which are originally from Contla.

Centuries ago, some of the people of Contla moved to the city of Saltillo and continued to make the traditional textile there.

“In the waist loom the threads of lamb wool with tequesquite are fitted. Dyes are as natural as nutshell or pig grain,” Mülle said.

The sarape became recognised as “Intangible Cultural Heritage of the State of Tlaxcala” by the Congress of the State of Tlaxcala, where Contla is located, in 2018.