Maria B has found herself at the centre of a plagiarism scandal following the launch of her controversial Palestine Collection over the weekend. Featuring T-shirts and lawn outfits adorned with symbolic Palestinian imagery - including the black and white keffiyeh, multicoloured houndstooth patterns, and the watermelon - the collection quickly became mired in controversy rather than a gesture of solidarity.
While some social media users lauded Maria's intent, others have slammed the designer for profiting from a genocide. However, the outrage is now seeing a new twist as allegations of design theft surface.
One design in particular from the collection has caught the attention of artist Leena Ghani. It depicted the map of Palestine with a boy cleverly integrated into the pattern, alongside the Palestinian flag wrapped in olive branches.
Ghani promptly took to social media, accusing Maria B of stealing the design. She linked the artwork to its original creator, Turkish artist Hac? Balina Atölye, whose work had been featured on the Instagram page Palestine Quebec. As news of the alleged plagiarism spread, calls for accountability grew louder, with many urging support for the original artist.
Initially, Maria B remained silent on the accusations. However, on Tuesday night, she addressed the controversy via Instagram stories, acknowledging that she had "unintentionally" used Atölye's work in her collection. Describing it as an "oversight," she apologised to her followers, citing the challenges of navigating the fast-paced digital landscape where viral images can easily lead to such mistakes.
The designer claimed to have reached out to Atölye, stating that the artist was "recognising our work with empathy and grace and is willing to collaborate with us in our efforts for Gaza." Maria B encouraged her followers to support Atölye's work, seemingly attempting to turn the controversy into a collaborative effort.
However, Maria B's response took a confrontational turn as she lashed out at her critics, whom she labelled as "liberals foaming at mouth." In all-caps messages, she accused them of trying to undermine her efforts to help Gaza, stating, "This is Pakistan. Do nothing yourself and tear down anyone who tries to do something."
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