Australian fashion house Black Milk Clothing has turned a cease and desist letter from Star Wars mastermind George Lucas into a lucrative business opportunity.
The small label made waves when it released swimsuits bearing the images of Star Wars robots R2-D2 and C-3PO. George Lucas lashed out at the firm, and it halted production of its Artoo and Threepio one-pieces.
What happened next was unexpected though. Suddenly the $90 swimsuits became collector’s items commanding $600 on internet auction site eBay. It seems the internet community couldn’t get enough of the geek chic swimming costumes.
In the midst of the online fervor, Black Milk Clothing and George Lucas’ Lucasfilm realized that their legal stoush actually hid a clever business opportunity. And so the companies joined forces. Once it receives official design approval, Black Milk Clothing will resume production of its Star Wars inspired swimsuits.
It seems the original owners got a bargain though. While final prices haven’t been announced, Black Milk Clothing’s marketing manager Cameron Parker says the new batch will cost more than the first due to licence fees.
There’s no doubt that the legal wrangling has given these Black Milk Clothing swimsuits more publicity than Australian made costumes usually receive. Can you imagine rocking this quirky look on the beach?
