Heidi Klum’s jewelry line is being halted due to lawsuits against the clover motif. World renown jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels is claiming all rights to the clover. Not trying to take sides here because I am a huge fan of both parties, but putting claim on a shape?! Really? Heidi Klum has stated that her inspiration, from day one, has been through travels and observing church architecture in Milan, Italy.
I can see her point and totally realize that she was not trying to copy what Van Cleef & Arpels has been doing for years (longer than Klum’s jewelry line which has been out for only 5 years). I, too, was inspired by European churches’ architecture–the picture below is from my trip to England in 2006. It was taken at a church in England, you can see the clover motif here as well. This picture is a favorite of mine.