It's one of the more unusual lawsuits of the new year: A designer is suing Lego, accusing the company of making a "blatant copy" of his leather jacket for a new set, reports the Fashion Law. James Concannon is seeking unspecified compensation. The new $100 Lego set is an homage to the show Queer Eye on Netflix, and that's where the lawsuit gets a little complicated, per the Guardian. Concannon has a long-standing relationship with the show, and he has previously allowed it to showcase designs worn by cast member Antoni Porowski.
Concannon says the show always sought his permission and gave him credit when Porowski wore his designs, though it failed to do so for the leather jacket in question. Because he had a good relationship with the show, and with Porowski, Concannon says he was willing to let the oversight slide. Then, however, he caught wind of the new Lego set and noticed the leather jacket, which he says is clearly based on his design—the one he says Netflix used without his explicit permission. His lawsuit cites "the unique placement, coordination, and arrangement of the individual artistic elements" and says Lego has been featuring the jacket in ads for the new set, per CNN.
Further, he says he reached out to Lego, which initially offered him a free set for his young son, but then rescinded even that offer. Lego has not responded to various outlets' request for a comment on the lawsuit. But in his complaint, Concannon says a Lego attorney told him that because he gave the jacket to Porowski, who would likely wear it on the show, that amounted to an "implied consent" for Netflix to give the design to Lego or otherwise use the jacket as it wished. (More Lego stories.)
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