According to what was just divulged by the Roma Pride network, the well-know fashion house Fendi has been demanding withdrawing of the Roma Pride campaign. The gay pride organization has stated having received a letter by the legal counsels of the Maison in which the firm claimed the exclusive usage of the so-called “Square Colosseum” (Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana) image. The palace had been indeed used as the background in the advertising picture for the gay pride campaign. Fendi threatened to take legal action in order to seek compensation for the damages it allegedly suffered because of the pictures.
Despite the use of the palace image being made on the occasion of many other campaigns launched by Lgbt movements, the Maison think the organization “has misused the palace image”.
“This morning we received an official communication by the legal counsel of Fendi Maison”– says the note of the Mario Mieli association, which is also the legal accountable entity for the Roma Pride.-“The letter orders the Roma Pride Organization to withdraw and destroy all the images of the “Chi non si accontenta lotta” (fight if you are not satisfied) advertising campaign, launched as a promotion to the 11th June gay-pride parade.
“Fendi Maison claims that an improper use of the image of the Civiltà Italiana palace has been made by using it as a background for the campaign and that the fashion house is an exclusive copyright licensee.” The Mario Mieli Cultural Association, leading proponent of the parade organization, is sure that this was a big misapprehension.
“It is hard to believe that a firm having lgbt people among its customers could ever feel damaged by the indirect link to a parade made in support of human rights. The parade is organized by a historic association which lives thanks to the work of volunteers and which even cooperated with Fendi on the occasion of the Aids world day.
“In the mid-nineties, the volunteers of Mario Mieli association would even go to the Fendi store on Via del Corso for the Aids prevention campaign”-reminds Sebastiano Secci, spokesperson of the Roma Pride.
In the day the movie star Asia Argento confirms her being a sponsor to the parade, Fendi’s request looks like a bolt from the blue to the Organization.
“The value of Roma Pride is internationally recognized” – the note keeps reading. In addition to the financial support of Lazio Region and the aegis of the Municipality of Rome, until today even the Embassies of Canada, Quebec, United States of America United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and France declared they would take part to the 11th June parade by sending a delegation.
“At this point we wonder if with “improper use” Fendi Maison doesn’t want to allude to the presence of LGBT people pictured with the palace in the background.”.
“We do not mean to withdraw the Roma Pride campaign – concludes the Mario Mieli association-, we will rather keep inviting everyone to the 11th June big parade. Also because the “Square Colosseum” will never become a private good and will always be a symbol of the city of Rome. “
It might be wondered whether what happened to Barilla and Dolce and Gabbana has not taught anything to the Italian business world.
7.51 PM UPDATE: Fendi has clarified the misunderstanding and authorized the Roma Pride to use the images of the CiviltĂ Italiana Palace for the campaign and expressed its support to the event
Translation by Rino Benvenuto
