Zara Starts Internal Probe Into MaXhosa Design-Theft Allegations

The Spanish retailer is working on removing all the contested items from its stores.
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Zara's parent company Inditex says it is currently investigating the allegations that the luxury brand replicated some designs by South African brand MaXhosa.

"The company has already started an internal investigation and will be in contact with MaXhosa's representatives to clarify and resolve the situation as swiftly as possible," Zara South Africa said in a statement.

The company said it respects individual creativity and takes all claims very seriously. It has gone as far as removing the items in question from its stores.

"As a preventive action, the process to immediately remove this item both from stores and online was activated the moment this situation was brought to our attention," the company said.

This week, South Africans took to social media to express their disappointment at Zara's decision to sell items that look like those in the the local label's 2014 Khanyisa range.

MaXhosa founder Laduma Ngxokolo had also been alerted that socks looking exactly like his designs were in Zara stores in Johannesburg, New York and the U.K.

MaXhosa has since decided to take legal action.

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