Gavin Rajah faces more copycat claims

19 April 2016 - 13:15 By Sefiso Hlongwane

Uh oh. Gavin Rajah is in hot water once again for allegedly ‘stealing’ Asian-American designer Chelsea Lui’s designs. Taking to Facebook‚ Lui reportedly posted images of her original designs together with screengrabs from Rajah’s magazine feature to show the alleged theft. “Oh my god. What a shame! South Africa [sic] designer Gavin Rajah stole my pictures and my designs for his interview. I don’t know why this magazine doesn’t check their sources! Feel free to sue me. I’m ready to play. You are ready to play. Let’s play‚” Liu’s post read. In response‚ Rajah emailed Lui’s husband Marc threatening to institute a process to have her Green Card revoked if she didn’t remove the “malicious” post‚ even giving her a deadline to do so.The email‚ which Liu screengrabbed and posted to her Facebook profile‚ read: “Hi Marc‚ I am writing this email only as a courtesy. In fact I write this out of respect for you. Should Chelsea not remove all her malicious posts on Facebook we intend sending an urgent application to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service via the US Consulate by our attorney today in SA illustrating our intent to pursue damages and a charge of cyber bullying."“The implications for green card holders and individuals not naturalised in the US are dire‚ given this behaviour‚ I am sure you are aware of. [sic] She has until 14h00SA time to remove this. There are other legal methods of recourse and/or forms of discussion but as usual Chelsea would prefer her irrational behaviour [sic]”Lui has since removed the Facebook post.This is the fourth copycat allegation levelled against Rajah in the past three years‚ following Cape Town designer Paul van Zyl’s claim that Rajah’s ‘pebble dress’ was not an original design. Then there was Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad‚ who in 2014 accused Rajah of stealing a design‚ as well as the drama that unfolded at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week held in Johannesburg last year‚ when Rajah was accused of showcasing a near mirror image of UK designer Han Chong’s dress‚ which Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon wore in 2014.A representative of Rajah refused to comment on the matter and when speaking to the designer himself he asked that an email be sent through to his office...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.