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Balmain to redesign new logo due to Laura Biagiotti similarity
The passion for logos, and the ensuing boom of monograms introduced by labels looking for a strong, recognisable visual identity has turned into a pitfall for Balmain. In December 2018, the Parisian label owned by Qatari sovereign fund Mayhoola redesigned its brand image, adopting a new, simpler and more modern logo, and introducing for the occasion its first monogram. However, the similarity of Balmain's monogram with the logo of long-established Italian label Laura Biagiotti was immediately singled out for criticism, not without controversy.
The issue, amplified extensively on social media, was recently settled in amicable fashion between the labels, with the goal of preventing “a possible confusion between the Balmain monogram's new design and the ‘LB’ logo of the Biagiotti Group,” said the Italian label in a joint statement.
“Based on this agreement, from the Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Balmain will start using a new version of its monogram, which will be presented to the general public on that occasion,” continued the statement. The label designed by Olivier Rousteing will therefore need to rethink its logo, which was already being used in its collections, especially for accessories.
The monogram combined the initials of founder Pierre Balmain, the P adjoining and overlapping the B, in black on a white background within a circle, and it was confusingly similar to Laura Biagiotti’s capital ‘L’ and ‘B’ fused together in black within a white square. Influential Instagram account Diet Prada was quick to highlight the similarity.
Balmain’s large capital B also has an affinity with the recently redesigned Burberry monogram, featuring a rounded B intertwined with a capital T, for the label's founder Thomas Burberry.
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