In 2001, the businessman Isaac Larian struck gold when he launched the Bratz dolls following his time with Mattel….home to the Barbie doll.
His net worth now sings to the tune of $1 billion.
In 2020, his company –MGA- is accused of using ideas created by the well known black influencer Amina Mucciolo to create a new doll set to generate even more wealth for the business.
The ‘Rainbow Raver‘s tale below…
Mucciolo goes by the name StudioMucci on Instagram and saw her passion for art, design and colour turn her into one of the platform’s biggest influencers and amassing a following of over 500,000 followers across all social media platforms.
In 2019, she began to receive messages from fans asking her if she was aware that LOL Surprise (a company owned by Larian) had created a replica doll in her likeness.
She was stunned.
The first thing I noticed was the exact replica of a hairstyle I did to celebrate my 35th birthday. It was aqua with rainbow highlights, and it was shocking because the hairstyle was the result of my imagination and leftover hair I had from the previous style I wore. I didn’t have a visual reference or anything, so it was disturbing to see something that came straight from my mind, to be duplicated on a toy that I had no part in creating.
The doll was delivered to the masses in June 2019…months after the creative stepped out with her now signature style.
She claims she was ignored when she reached out to the company to quiz them on the similarities between her style and their lucrative doll, and explains that she launched a petition she hoped would help she and her fans get to the bottom of the alleged theft of intellectual property.
Why? Because she believes that that is not the first time her ideas have been swiped to generate cash for a corporation or rival influencer.
It was really hard to have this happen. A lot of my white peers were getting opportunities and design collaborations, meanwhile I was only getting stolen from.
Reps from LOL Surprise released a statement which insisted that they were not influenced by Amina’s style and explained that the doll at the heart of the drama has been in development since September 2018.
Many were unconvinced and took to social media to defend Amina against what the alleged theft.
Enraged, Larian released this statement….
You are a liar and a extortionist [sic] and fraud.Who’s your so called lawyer? Put his name and contact information here publicly now so we can contact him or her. Now we will not longer be nice and we will sue you for defamation, extortion and fraud, etc. Watch!
Unfortunately, the aggressive nature of the remark generated more attention for the story and saw the businessman hit by a wave of messages condemning him for threatening the influencer.
in which the non-Black chairman and ceo of @mgaent calls a Black woman a “disgrace to black people,” after she put the company on blast for stealing her likeness.
i invite you to join me in never purchasing another lolsurprise, lalaloopsy, or bratz doll again. https://t.co/TfOkcGkQQP
— EricaJoy (@EricaJoy) June 20, 2020
He deleted his account on Twitter shortly after…but not before releasing a statement he hoped would encourage his customers to see things from his perspective.
I’ve been a Bratz girl for YEARS and I’m really hurt over this, but it can’t be ignored just because of my personal attachments. The CEO really called a black woman a “disgrace” after they blatantly stole her image for a doll. This isn’t okay. This is horrible. 😞 pic.twitter.com/KTzr8JJ5HJ
— HRH of Altea 🌙✨ (@RheaMorris_) June 20, 2020
can you give compensation to amina mucciolo for using her likeness in your lol surprise line without permission and hold your ceo accountable for going on a racist tirade against her for talking about it on twitter were not going to forget that https://t.co/zHGjsQvCEI
— Santi (@M0STlMA) June 22, 2020
As a mother of a 4 year old I will not buy @Bratz dolls. I wont support a company saying #BlackLivesMatter but steals @StudioMucci a black womans image w/out paying her #symbolismisnotactivism pic.twitter.com/n2OXZ8IUSR
— Erica N Smith (@E_N_Smith) June 21, 2020
My daughter adores LOL, Bratz, and @StudioMucci in particular. She’s even started making her own dolls, we’ve bought the hair kits, apoxies, we will not be purchasing them any more. #LOL you use ugliness and racism don’t be shocked we walk away. 👊🏻👊🏼👊🏽👊🏾👊🏿💕
— Ash Huber (@SocHoliday) June 23, 2020
God studiomucci cannot catch a break this poor woman is just constantly being ripped off by people using her creativity to make money…
— digitalsoop (@digitalsoop) June 23, 2020
But I thought Mattel sued him and won because he created bratz when working at Mattel
Yep. That’s him.
awesome blog. write another blog like tis
✅ A collaboration with Amina would’ve given them that authenticity and social media boost! 💯 The doll would’ve looked better with more appeal and flavor…but NO, they rather pay expensive lawyers than collaborate and give homegirl some bread smh…now that doll looks like a lil ass knock off 😂 I can’t unsee it 🤣
Sounds like Clarkson 😂 #Thief
Hey ladyboy.
Clarkson, you’re just mad that you got called that the other day, among other things 😂 I’m not trying to offend nobody 😂 You trying real HARD but it ain’t working 🤣 NO FLAVOR confirmed!
https://tenor.com/view/the-golden-girls-laugh-laughing-lol-hilarious-gif-4535568
They have stolen from many artists including mariahs look from the video lover boy , spice girls and ruoaul the lol
Dolls have stolen many looks from pop couture Ii’ proud of Amina for standing up 🌈💖
He explained how the doll was made and when. I believe him. Why she thinks that this colored hair was made by HER? That’s so weird! She probably took her ideas from the doll without even noticing.
STOP MAKING EVERYTHING ABOUT RACISM.
HOW THE F*** Y’ALL SAYING THAT HE SAID SHE’S A FRAUD TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY??? WHERE THE F0CK DID YOU READ “TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY”?????? HOW DELUSIONAL CAN YOU BE?!?! F0CK HEADS! HOW CAN YOU ALWAYS TWIST THINGS TO FIT IT TO YOUR NARRATIVE.
LOSER’S
Ummm, can YOU read? 😂 He called her a disgrace to black people and BLM, a liar, a coward, extortionist and a fraud…but you really typing tho lmao 🤣
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8448363/Billionaire-Bratz-creator-calls-Black-influencer-disgrace-Black-people.html
But it does say that.. so congratulations, you just embarrassed yourself.
Maybe next time, try clicking the actual tweets/photos?
Idiot.
It’s impossible that she got any ideas from the doll because she posted photos long before the doll was OFFICIALLY delivered to the public, learn to read properly, Ew!!
The CEOs defense is that although it was released after her photos were out, a lot of production time and creativity had already gone into making the dolls long before Amina posted the photos. While all that’s possible, it doesn’t change the fact that Aminas colourful rainbow aesthetics could have majorly INFLUENCED serious tweaks to the dolls design and style during its “long” production period and before its official release.
So while there’s a super slight chance it’s a crazy coincidence, it’s most likely more a rip off of Aminas style and general aesthetic. The similarity from hair colour, to what looks like a waist pouch are too much to ignore!!
In other words, shut the f*** up dumbass.
You must also be quite the fool, because the comment you are replying to didn’t say anything about racism and only TWO comments from twitter posted by TGJ, referred mildly to racism on this issue because of his verbal outburst towards her.
Dolt.
BTCHESSS THE TWITTER S*** WASN’T SHOWN CUZ IM BLOCKING THE SHITY ADS ON THIS SHITY SITE, I WAS READING THE ARTICLE AND IT WASN’T THERE . NOW I DONT AGREE WITH WHAT HE SAID CUZ I THINK THAT THE BLM MOVEMENT IS A DISGRACE AND A FRAUD TO HER AND NOT THE OTHER WAY.
^ Girl, all this energy when:
a) you were wrong.. and you gagged
b) you still sound dumb
Just sit this one out sis
This is how I dress when I want to dress like a woman.
Bish, you wanna BE ME. 🤳🏽So gone head and BOW DOWN.💋🤣 You don’t see ANYBODY trying to be Clarkson on TGJ, now do you? 😂 You have NO FLAVOR and you’re trying to GET SOME 🤳🏽Life ain’t working out being YOU 😂 You have made that abundantly CLEAR 😂 You’re not funny, witty…you just DRY…Clarkson, GET THAT LIFE and find some B** that you will surely have to PAY FOR 💰 😂 You trying to hate on me but EVERY TIME you filling in the blanks you typing MY NAME lol…the obsession is really REAL, single white female! 😂
Gurrrl what number are you going to be wearing today?
The majority aqua colored hair and pouch is questionable. The best defense would be to show the photos referenced to create the doll.
He should have contacted privately and not on social media, his wife Angela is however a lovely gal. this is her https://wagcenter.com/corporate-wags/angela-neman-larian-5-facts-about-isaac-larians-wife/
Me and Amina Mucciolocololoclou both look like the secret love child of Lauryn Hill & Ronald McDonald.
You look terrible chile lol…how bout that? 😂