A fashion designer has accused singer/actress Janelle Monaé of plagiarizing her design for her Grammy awards performance on Sunday night. Japanese-Italian designer Nange Magro says Janelle’s Grammy costumes look strikingly similar to her own creations.
Magro, who is famous for her latex ready-to-wear designs, posted images and a video on Instagram comparing her Kotodama Leotard design from 2015 with similar costumes worn by Janelle and her dancers on stage at the Grammys on Sunday.
Nange wrote a lengthy caption both praising and criticizing the eclectic star for copying her style.
“Amazing performance by Janelle at the Grammy’s. She and her dancers looked great,” Nange wrote on Instagram. “I’m deeply DISAPPOINTED, though, that their outfits looked so much like one of Dead Lotus Couture’s 2015 classic designs. I could’ve made it for them if they contacted me.”
She continued: “Nobody likes to see unauthorized copies of their original creations – be it in music, art or fashion. I am flattered to be an inspiration for this amazing artist, but not flattered that my original design has been blatantly imitated.”
Janelle works with stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn, who was responsible for her Grammys red carpet look, but it’s unclear whether she helped the star with her stage attire.
Photos by Kevin Winter and Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
