Banksy is encouraging people to shoplift his designs from Guess

US Fashion brand Guess has come under fire this week after its flagship store on Regent Street was the centre of viral fashion controversy. Anonymous graffiti artist Banksy has encouraged shoplifters to head to Guess on Regent Street and take whatever they want from its newly released capsule collection, which is inspired by the artist’s work. Banksy said the brand had helped themselves to his artwork ‘without asking’. He then asked: ‘How can it be wrong for you to do the same to their clothes?’

The artist shared an image of the shop’s front windows on Instagram, showing items from the capsule collection inspired by his work.

Behind the mannequins wearing accessories, T-shirts and coats featuring his graffiti, there is a large background image of his famous ‘Rage, the Flower Thrower’ stencil, showing a masked Palestinian throwing a bouquet of flowers. In the windows, the collection is advertised as ‘Guess x Brandalised with Graffiti by Banksy’. After the artist shared his post, Guess shut the flagship store, masked the window display and called in extra security guards to stand outside the shop, according to the BBC. 

The Guess website says the clothes were created in partnership with Brandalised, a company that secures the rights to graffiti across the world. The brand says it offers customers the chance to buy ‘affordable graffiti collectables’.

In a statement before the clothing launch, Paul Marciano, chief creative officer of Guess, said: ‘The graffiti of Bansky has had a phenomenal influence that resonates throughout popular culture. This new capsule collection with Brandalised is a way for fashion to show its gratitude.’

The collection has items for women, men and children, and uses Banksy’s iconic designs including his ‘Livin’ The Dream’ Disney takedown and ‘Thug for Life Bunny’. Prices range from £35 up to around £225. Sounds ‘affordable’... right?

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