Selfridges pay up over Sidebottom rip-off

Selfridges has paid out £10,000 after fans accused the store of ripping off Frank Sidebottom’s image.

Shop bosses have apologised after Christmas window displays in their London store featured mannequins with faces very similar to Chris Sievey’s papier-mache creation. Click here to see them.

The store initially said the creations, by Selfridges designer Erin Thompson, aimed to 'awake the child within'.

But the apparent rip-off was spotted by plenty of fans who sparked a ‘name and shame’ campaign on the internet. Selfridges was then quick to apologise and offer the recompense.

A Selfridges spokesman said: ‘After investigation we can see why some fans of Chris Sievey's character as well as some of the creator's friends and family have reacted so quickly to this feature of our current windows.

‘We sincerely apologise if this has offended anyone and we have been keen to resolve matters quickly. We have offered to give £10,000 to Chris Sievey's estate and for them to decide how to best use this donation.

‘We will also ensure that a suitable acknowledgement is made to Mr Sievey's work in our window displays and in-store.’

Sievey’s Phil Jones told the Manchester Evenign News: ‘It would appear that Selfridges have done their Christmas window with imagery that is Frank. They put it up but have not spoken to anyone from Chris's family or Gemma, his partner. I just think that it is completely out of order. They have used a dead person's imagery without any contact with his family.’

It’s thought that a substantial part of the £10,000 will be given to Macmillan Cancer. Sievey died in June, at the age of 54, following a short battle with cancer.

Published: 2 Nov 2010