Popular activewear brand Jaggad denies copying designs by Australian fashion label Nagnata

It’s one of Australia’s most popular activewear labels. Now, Jaggad is being accused of copying designs from another brand - a claim it has strongly denied.

EXCLUSIVE: Rebecca Judd’s clothing line Jaggad has denied copying designs by rising Australian fashion label, Nagnata.

The brand says it has sent a legal letter and statutory declaration to Jaggad but has yet to receive a response.

“If this Australian brand is going to keep copying Nagnata … we’re going to start calling them out,” Nagnata founder and creative director Laura May Gibbs said in a statement posted on Instagram.

But Jaggad chief executive Steve Greene has denied the allegations, saying the Melbourne-based brand had responded to Nagnata’s claims.

“As independent designers and producers of our own product, we respect the rights of any designer to assert their rights over any protected design,” Mr Greene told News Corp exclusively today.

A Jaggad design. Picture: Jaggad

A sweater by Byron Bay-based brand, Nagnata. Picture: Nagnata

MORE NEWS

Frenzy over Insta star’s trackies

Sexy WFH fashion trend that’s selling out

‘Puffer pants’: Star’s lockdown wardrobe

“However, in this case there are no reasonable grounds to establish any intellectual property infringement on Jaggad’s part.”

Mr Greene said Jaggad had “responded in writing to the alleging party on two occasions over the last two months” – dated April 17 and May 18.

“On both occasions, we have confirmed ownership of our own designs and steadfastly rejected any assertions of any intellectual property infringement under Australian Law,” he told News Corp exclusively.

Mr Greene said Jaggad owned all of its designs. “All clothing designs contain utilitarian elements that relate to their feel, material, and function which give rise to unavoidable similarities in visual appearance,” Mr Greene said.

“It is universally understood within the clothing industry that such elements are derivative and not attributable to any design protection.

“We can confirm that ownership of our designs is appropriately protected and upheld by this convention under Australian Law. We also note there is no evidence of any registered protected designs by any designer for the items in question under the Design Act in Australia.”

WAG Rebecca Judd co-owns Jaggad. Picture: Toby Zerna

Hannah Gibbs and Laura May Gibbs of award-winning Australian label, Nagnata, pictured in Melbourne last year ahead of their meeting with US Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Posting photos of its own designs as well as the Jaggad items, Nagnata shared side-by-side comparisons of its product – a stripy ribbed knit top – compared to a Jaggad design, saying: “One is Nagnata. One is not.”

Nagnata declined to comment further when contacted by News Corp. Nagnata’s followers flooded the post in support of the award-winning label, with one writing: “Wow this looks very similar”.

“A little integrity for @nagnata— designs wouldn’t go astray? Give credit where credit is due,” a follower stated under Nagnata’s post, which has attracted more than 580 comments.

Ribbed, ottoman-style knits are a commonly used fabric including in designs by sportswear giant, Nike.

Based in Byron Bay and LA, Nagnata is described as a premium sustainably-minded fashion and lifestyle brand, “designed for modern movement”.

Nagnata has been endorsed by Vogue worldwide and has a strong “it” girl fan base, having been worn by British socialite/designer Alexa Chung among others. It is available online and via retailers including Net-a-Porter, London’s Selfridges and Liberty, and KITH in the United States, and has also been stocked on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website.

In April, Nagnata won the Australian Fashion Council’s Emerging Designer Fashion Award.

Jaggad is one of Australia’s top-selling activewear labels, co-owned by mega WAG Judd. Its collection of sweaters, leggings and T-shirts are stocked online and nationally in Myer and via The Iconic, and regularly sell out.

Originally published as Popular activewear brand Jaggad denies copying designs by Australian fashion label Nagnata