EXCLUSIVE: Project Runway Designer Accused Of Copying Designs
Mar. 27 2010, Published 4:14 a.m. ET
Project Runway’s Gordana Gehlhausen is being accused of copying designs from celebrity jewelry maker Michaela Kuechenhoff, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.
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Michaela, who has created jewelry for Jessica Simpson, Fergie and Juliette Lewis, tells RadarOnline.com: “I hate things like this, but I have to start protecting my designs.”
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She says the two met a year ago, when Gordana, who was in Project Runway 6, invited her to be in a show at LA Fashion Week.
When Michaela picked up her jewelry a few weeks later, she says Gordana “had copied one of the designs.”
Since then she says Gordana has copied two other designs including “a new square design, I wanted to mass produce. It’s my favorite design, everyone liked it. I can’t mass produce it now!”
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Jody Auslund, publicist for Gordana tells RadarOnline.com: "We deny those defamatory allegations and because of the legal nature of the matter, we can not discuss it further."
Ironically, the two designers were in a show Friday night in San Diego.
Michaela tells RadarOnline.com: “I’m almost afraid to show pieces tonight, because who knows what will happen.”