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UK prime minister's wife sparks debate over replica furniture


Dezeen Wire:
Michelle Ogundehin, editor of Elle Decoration magazine, has reacted angrily to a revelation in the London Evening Standard that Samantha Cameron, wife of UK prime minister David Cameron, purchased a reproduction of the Castiglioni brothers' iconic Arco floor lamp for her home.

In a blog post on the magazine's website, Ogundehin questions the morality of purchasing replica furniture, claiming that it "exposes an utter disrespect for the legacy of the original designer."

Writing in The Guardian, Hannah Booth reported Ogundehin's reaction but concluded the article by saying "Arco is one of a select club of arguably overpriced classics that have been successfully, and legally, reproduced," before offering readers a list of top-selling replicas.

Last month American design company Herman Miller began legal proceedings against an Australian retailer who sell furniture including replicas of pieces by Charles and Ray Eames.

See reactions to this story on Twitter here.

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