European apparel company Siberia Hills has apologized to Billie Eilish after it was caught plagiarizing artwork for its collaboration with the singer.
The brand created a T-shirt and a pair of hoodies emblazoned with anime female characters and “Billie” in the Japanese syllabary Katakana. They were sold via Eilish’s website for between $35 and $65 U.S.
Anime fans were quick to accuse Siberia Hills of stealing the design from Makoto Kurokawa.
“To the talented artist Mr. M_Qurokarwa, we apologize for taking from your artwork for our merchandise collection with Billie Eilish," read a statement from the company shared via Instagram. “Billie and her team were not aware that we used your art, they just believed in the product. We were the creative force behind this collaboration.
“To Billie, and her fans, we apologize for causing this issue. These items will not be released. To those who already purchased, you will be refunded.”
Eilish shared the Siberia Hills statement in an Instagram story.