British artist says the Met 'should take responsibility' for dress copyright dispute

"Samms says she and Hadari, who is based in New York, collaborated on a garment titled Hair Dress when they were both residents at the Sarabande Foundation in London, set up by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Last year, the Met expressed interest in buying the dress, which has human hair woven through it, and including it in its Costume Art exhibition, which opened on 10 May, just after the Met Gala annual fundraiser. Those plans were shelved in December."

"In a social media post, Samms says she was first alerted to the Met's inclusion of a dress that she describes as "something like a copy of my work" when the Sarabande Foundation tagged her in a social media post congratulating her on the show. But, Samms says, she has not been credited or paid for her work, unlike Hadari."

"Hadari acknowledges that Samms holds the IP rights over the "specific textile" used in Hair Dress. But, he adds, "those rights do not extend to the design, name, concept, construction, or creative direction of the Nervina Hair Dress", which is now on show at the Met and which he says are entirely his. Furthermore, Hadari says, "the final form" of the original Hair Dress resulted from his "own draping, hand stitching, and application of the textile onto a base dress that he cut, sewed, and designed independently"."

"After she took her dispute to the Met, Samms says she was told she and Hadari would have to resolve their differences before the museum take any action. The Met declined to comment "out of respect for the artists and their ongoing dispute". Having taken legal advice in the UK, Samms says: "The Met will be committing its own acts of copyright and moral r"

Anouska Samms challenged the Metropolitan Museum of Art after the museum said a copyright dispute over a dress should be resolved between her and former collaborator Yoav Hadari. Samms said she and Hadari created a garment titled Hair Dress while both lived at the Sarabande Foundation in London. She said the Met showed a dress she described as a copy of her work without credit or payment. Hadari acknowledged Samms holds IP rights over the specific textile used, but said rights do not extend to the design, name, concept, construction, or creative direction of the Nervina Hair Dress now on display. The Met declined to comment while the dispute continues.

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