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Designer sues Riverdance duo
01 November 2009 By Susan Mitchell
Riverdance duo Moya Doherty and John McColgan have vowed to fight claims by fashion designer Jen Kelly that they used his designs without permission.
The owners of the Riverdance show said they would vigorously defend the case, which will be heard in the High Court this week.
Kelly, a haute couture designer, is suing Riverdance promoters Abhann Productions and Tyrone Productions for breach of contract and is seeking royalties from Riverdance’s profits.
Kelly designed and made hundreds of outfits that were used in the Riverdance shows in the mid-1990s. After receiving initial design fees for the show costumes, Kelly claimed he was paid about €60 in royalties per performance until 2001.
Kelly has claimed Riverdance continued to use and modify his designs without licence or payment. McColgan and Doherty claimed an agreement was reached in November 1999 under which the designer accepted a substantial sum to finalise his involvement.
McColgan said there was never ‘‘any unauthorised exploitation of Kelly’s designs by Riverdance’’. He said Kelly’s designs had not been used since 2001.
Emmy-award winning costume designer Joan Bergin was hired as the costume designer for Riverdance in 1999. It is understood that Bergin will give evidence in the High Court case which starts on Thursday.
The action is the latest in a series of legal claims brought against Doherty and McColgan.
Michael Flatley, the show’s original lead performer and one of the original choreographers, sued for a share of the show’s profits. After years of legal wrangling Flatley received a substantial sum in an undisclosed settlement.
Pat Faulkner, a former managing director of Abhann Productions, received a multimillion euro settlement from Abhann in 2000 after taking a legal action against the firm.
As well as his work on Riverdance, Kelly has created outfits for the singer Enya, President Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson, her predecessor.
He has retained DFMG Solicitors who successfully represented Karen Millen in its dispute with Dunnes Stores.
The supermarket chain was found to have copied Karen Millen designs.
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