The encyclopedia · Legal & Compliance · Legal decision · 2026
Streetwear brand RIPNDIP DMCA's an indie artist's two cats, then had to eat the backlash
RIPNDIP filed a copyright claim over an indie artist's stylised cat design, mocked the artist, then apologised saying an automated system did it.
RIPNDIP · Pigeonchild · Redbubble · 2026-06-26
What happened
RIPNDIP, the US streetwear label known for its cheeky Lord Nermal cat mascot, filed a copyright complaint in June 2026 that got an independent artist's stylised dual-cat design removed from the print marketplace Redbubble. The design visually had little in common with RIPNDIP's own mascot.
The artist, an illustrator who goes by Pigeonchild, responded publicly and the exchange drew a sharper reaction once RIPNDIP taunted him with a 'respect your elders' line and made the disputed artwork its profile picture. The artist's retort — 'you think you own every stylised cat design on the internet?' — went viral, racking up around 2.2 million views and roughly 20,000 likes.
RIPNDIP then posted a letter on X apologising and blaming an automated system, saying the takedown was 'an automated mistake' and 'not a personal attack'. Dexerto and Newsbreak both covered the reversal, reading it as a brand caught trying to claim a template it had not drawn.
Why it happened
- RIPNDIP filed a copyright complaint that removed indie artist Pigeonchild's stylised dual-cat design from Redbubble on 26 June 2026, even though it looked nothing like RIPNDIP's own mascot.
- When the artist hit back online, RIPNDIP mocked him with a 'respect your elders' line and set the disputed artwork as its profile picture, escalating rather than de-escalating.
- The artist's response went viral — 2.2 million views and about 20,000 likes — and the brand reversed course, posting a letter calling the takedown an 'automated mistake' and 'not a personal attack'.
The lesson
A brand built on irreverence cannot DMCA a small artist, then shade them, and expect the crowd to split the difference: the backlash was its own audience calling out the overreach.
Aftermath
RIPNDIP's apology was widely read as self-inflicted: the DMCA, the taunt and the profile-picture stunt came from the same brand, so blaming an automated system did not hold. Coverage across Dexerto and Newsbreak framed the episode as a streetwear icon taking from smaller creators without credit or compensation, and the apology drew more mockery than forgiveness. The disputed design stayed down on Redbubble, and the brand's handling became the story rather than the original complaint.
Sources
- RIPNDIP apologises after copyright complaint against indie artist (Dexerto)
- Streetwear brand RIPNDIP apologises after copyright complaint sparks backlash (Newsbreak)
spotted an error? The club wants to know.
More like this
Adidas sued a sneaker leak account for extortion — then dropped the case itself
Nike scheduled a sneaker drop for 7-Eleven Day — in 7-Eleven's own colors
CLOT's founder switched from Nike to Adidas after 17 years — Nike sued his company
Somewhere, someone solved the problem this company failed at. 2nd Opinion →
Comments · 0
Sign in to join the comments.