ERBIL () - Lara Dizeyee, Ambassador of Kurdish Clothing Culture and a fashion designer, has called on the Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Culture and relevant institutions to formally address the reported resemblance between a recent Louis Vuitton design and a Kurdish heritage piece, urging authorities to establish a long-term strategic framework to protect Kurdish cultural heritage.
In a formal statement on Tuesday, Dizeyee called for an institutional response to the case and urged the Ministry of Culture to take a clear position, engage with Louis Vuitton, and inform the public about its position and next steps.
Dizeyee said the reactions and concerns expressed by the public on social media are important for raising awareness, but emphasized that protecting, identifying and documenting cultural heritage are primarily the responsibility of official institutions.
She called on the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Culture to formally contact Louis Vuitton, present historical evidence and documentation concerning the Kurdish heritage piece, and request clarification regarding the reported resemblance and the creative process behind the design.
Dizeyee described opening formal dialogue with Louis Vuitton as the first and most important step in addressing the issue.
Dizeyee cautioned against turning immediately to uncoordinated legal measures or rapid confrontation, saying the legal protection of traditional designs is a complex matter.
Instead, she proposed that the ministry work with legal and cultural heritage experts to establish a strong legal framework to protect the specific piece as well as Kurdish cultural heritage more broadly.
She also highlighted the distinction between drawing inspiration from a culture and reproducing a recognizable part of that culture without acknowledging its source.
“As a Kurdish designer, I want Kurdish culture to be seen and become a source of inspiration at the global level, but inspiration must come with respect, recognition and responsibility; our heritage cannot be displayed on the global stage while being separated from its people and history,” Dizeyee said.
Dizeyee called for the incident to become an opportunity to develop a long-term strategic framework through intellectual property mechanisms.
She specifically pointed to trademarks, copyright, design protection and geographical indications as tools that could help formally register Kurdish designs, patterns and distinctive symbols at the international level.
The goal, she said, should be to establish mechanisms capable of protecting Kurdish cultural elements from erasure and unauthorized use.
For Dizeyee, the issue therefore extends beyond the reported resemblance involving Louis Vuitton, highlighting the broader need for institutional documentation and legal protection of Kurdish cultural heritage.
