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02nd Apr 2019

Veja creator Sebastien Kopp slams Primark for counterfeit design of his ethical brand

"Knocking off sustainable brands is, I think, a special case."

Denise Curtin

“It is very sad to see this…”

Veja creator, Sebastien Klopp, has announced that he will press legal action against Primark for copying the design of his best selling product, the Veja V 10 trainers.

The French retailer is an ethical footwear brand loved by celebrities from the likes of Meghan Markle to Emily Ratajkowski. But, the brand isn’t just adored for its comfy trainers. It’s also praised as their materials are sourced locally and organically with the protection of the environment as a priority.

Veja’s V 10 trainers which were copied by Primark.

 

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Veja also backs equal pay and rights for the people who create the shoes and all the leather used comes from a tannery that’s audited and certified, with the option of vegan leather too available.

And so, with the brand at the helm of sustainable fashion that’s influencing a younger generation to be more conscious of what they purchase, the co-founder was devasted to see Primark copying his designs.

 

 

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Speaking about the copy of his shoes, Sebastien said:

“The first question coming to my mind is ‘where are those nice counterfeit shoes made?’ I think @Primark got it wrong, they should not copy the style of our shoes, they should copy the way we do them. With organic cotten, with recycled plastic, with more ecological fabrics, in factories where workers are paid decently and working in secure conditions.”

 

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Veja was first started by two founders with €10,00 and a vision to do fashion right. “Now the brand has become a movement and educated countless customers on the significance of each and every purchase we make,” writes Nu, who too weighed in on Primark’s dupe.

Have you seen these shoes in Penneys stores yet?