Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Urban Outfitters Settles Lawsuit With Navajo Nation

Urban Outfitters has resolved its five-year legal battle with the Navajo Nation.

The settlement, which was signed by a federal judge last week, states that all claims related to the case have been reconciled, according to New Mexico newspaper the Farmington Daily Times. While terms of the agreement between the clothing company and the Native American group will remain confidential, a press release from the Navajo Nation office of the president and vice president revealed that they have plans to collaborate on an American Indian jewellery collection.

The Navajo Nation filed a lawsuit against Urban Outfitters in 2012, after the American brand released a range of items - including clothing and accessories - labeled as "Navajo" and featuring designs said to be signature to the group, accusing it of the cultural appropriation of its name and aesthetic.


"We believe in protecting our Nation, our artisans, designs, prayers, and way of life," Navajo Nation's president, Russell Begaye, said in a statement. "We expect that any company considering the use of the Navajo name, or our designs or motifs, will ask us for our permission."

Of settling the case, Azeez Hayne, general counsel for Urban Outfitters Inc., said that the brand was pleased to have reached an agreement.

"As a company, Urban Outfitters has long been inspired by the style of Navajo and other American Indian artists and looks forward to the opportunity to work with them on future collaborations," he said. “We take the rights of artists and designers seriously, both in protecting our own and in respecting the rights of others."

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