dhb Women's Blok Superstar Long Sleeve Jersey, the design of which is being contested
Online retailer Wiggle says it will be "investigating fully" after claims that it plagiarised the design of a women's jersey for use in its dhb clothing range.
TV presenter and designer Anna Glowinski, founder of the Ana Nichoola clothing range, wrote on her Facebook page on Friday (October 25): "18 months ago @wiggle bike shop came to my design studio/office and we spent a couple of hours looking at my designs with a view to buy. A year later we talked about a collaboration. The talks went quiet and they brought out their own version. Angry? Yes! Heartbroken? More than I knew was possible! Powerful? Nope."
Glowinski wearing a jersey that she claims was combined with several other of her designs to create the dhb Blok Superstar
The story was taken up by sympathisers on social media. Some commenters even went so far as to call for a boycott of the online retailer. Not all comments came down on the designer's side though; one pointed out that "stars on a top" has been done time and time again, and that she may not have reason for complaint.
On Sunday (October 26), Wiggle acknowledged the complaint and added: "We are taking her claim very seriously and will be investigating fully on Monday."
The statement continued: "We at Wiggle would like to make clear that we work to the highest ethical standards. If a designer has indeed used Anna's designs and passed them off as their own then we will be taking full disciplinary action and ensuring that Anna benefits from the design royalties. We too would be upset, if indeed this has happened."
Wiggle says it will provide an update at 5pm on Monday October 27.
Jack Elton-Walters hails from the Isle of Wight, and would be quick to tell anyone that it's his favourite place to ride. He has covered a varied range of topics for Cycling Weekly, producing articles focusing on tech, professional racing and cycling culture. He moved on to work for Cyclist Magazine in 2017 where he stayed for four years until going freelance. He now returns to Cycling Weekly from time-to-time to cover racing, review cycling gear and write longer features for print and online.
