Next pays out over copied vase design

ACID, the Anti Copying in Design Group, has recovered 70 000 from fashion retailer Next on behalf of designer Keith Munro, who claimed Next had copied one of his vase designs.

The victory marks the largest payment ACID has yet recovered in its drive to protect the rights of designers. Next has also stopped selling its version of the vase, and given remaining stocks to Munro. He intends to donate them to children’s hospitals.

Munro’s original vase design is exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and retails for 38. He discovered the Next version in the chain’s Cardiff branch, priced 12.99.

He contacted ACID after hearing of a previous case between it and Next, which cost the retailer 20 000.

Solicitor Simon Clark of law firm Theodore Goddard, and a director of ACID, says the case “demonstrates that designers can take effective action to enforce their rights, whatever their own size or that of the opposition”. A Next spokeswoman declines to comment.