Inspired or otherwise? Poonam Bhagat creates exact prints of Picasso’s iconic series of ink dot constellation into her A/W 2015 Collection: Is this ethical?

Fashion designers (Read: The Creative Class) of all kinds rely on inspiration for their work in order to bring in something new and innovative. However, if an inspiration restricts creativity and one creates the exact replica of an inspiration without any newness, then there is a serious problem. As a creative professional, one should make a conscious effort to find his/her unique interpretation of an inspiration. I believe, it is very important for a creative person to be inspired, but inspiration should not be a literal interpretation and replication of the already existing work. One should use inspiration and build on it, create something totally new, and leave something behind that has the potential to inspire the rest.

Poonam Bhagat interpreted Picasso’s iconic imagery of guitars and mandolins and crotchet dotted staves of musical scores into her Autumn Winter 2015 collection. Her effort in translating the artist’s lines into the silhouette of the collection is clearly seen, and i think she was able to justify it to a certain extent. But, it is the prints on the garments that disturbed me. The prints, christened as needle prints by the fashion press, are the exact replica of legendary Picasso’s well known work - series of constellation. That is where i find there is a lack of imagination and interpretation? I wonder what Picasso would have said if he’d seen this. Inspiration? Or he would have made some easy money suing the designer?

Where does it start to become unethical? I believe as long as one is replicating someone’s work just for learning and research, it’s all good. However, as soon as one replicates someone’s work for commercial use, it is unethical. Putting someone’s art work on your canvas, is it right? Fashion for thought!