Dress could be by von Furstenberg or Wiren

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- A fashion designer's worst nightmare of seeing a new design also offered by another designer was all too real for one New Zealander.

A dress by Kiwi designer Cybele Wiren bore a striking resemblance to one shown earlier this year by internationally known designer Diane von Furstenberg except for the color of a half-moon motif and the sleeves, the Dominion Post in Wellington, New Zealand, reported. The dress was part of a collection that earned high praise when shown in Auckland this week, the newspaper said.

Mapihi Opai, chief executive of Fashion Industry New Zealand, said said she didn't think Wiren would "be stupid enough to copy a von Furstenberg dress."

Wiren said she's been incorporating circular motifs for about three seasons and has never seen the von Furstenberg dress.

"I know when you hold them up next to each other -- same circle, same side, same size, on black -- it's crazy, it just doesn't look good," she said. "Honestly, I've never seen it before. Laying eyes on it now made me feel ill."