John Galliano’s fashion design company was ordered to pay $271,800 in damages to noted American photographer William Klein for unauthorized use of his work in a Christian Dior advertising campaign. 75% of the settlement was awarded for “plagiarism”, the other 25%, oddly, was ordered due to the “poor quality” of the reproductions.

Dior refused to comment because they insist their company is distinct from Galliano’s, even though they share a chief executive, and that Galliano is the chief designer for both.

The photographer, fresh on the heels of recent gallery success, does not general permit advertisement use of his works. Dior, ironically, is famous for aggressively pursuing those infringing on their own copyrights. Galliano insists he’ll appeal the ruling on the same kind of bogus technicalities that lost him the court case in the first case.

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