H&M withdrew the lawsuit against street artist Revok
Artists are continuing to call for boycotts of the brand
© iStock
FASHION Revok
The clothing brand H&M filed a lawsuit against the street artist Jason "Revok" Williams after he sent a cease and desist letter to the company for using his work. H&M has since withdrawn the suit that was filed in New York. However, they initially claimed that “the entitlement to copyright protection is a privilege under federal law that does not extend to illegally created works,” according to reports from Hype Beast.
The dispute came from the advertisement for H&M's sportswear line. The campaign shows models in front of a graffitied wall that Revok created. The artist claimed copyright infringement for using his work for profit.
In a statement to Teen Vogue, the company said, "H&M respects the creativity and uniqueness of artists, no matter the medium. We should have acted differently in our approach to this matter. It was never our intention to set a precedent concerning public art or to influence the debate on the legality of street art. As a result, we are withdrawing the complaint filed in court. We are currently reaching out directly to the artist in question to come up with a solution."
However, regardless of the dropped charges, artists and musicians such as Portugal The Man, Kaws, and Swizz Beatz are calling for the boycott of the brand.