Peter Stern and Alan Sash Represent Plaintiff in Lady Gaga Plagiarism Law Suit

By Richard Johnson | New York Post

The French artist suing Lady Gaga for plagiarism is bringing the case to New York with plans to subpoena the creative team behind the singer’s “Born This Way” single and video.

Lawyers for Orlan (born Mireille Porte), intend to depose fashion guru Nicola Formichetti and makeup artist Billy Brasfield about the inspiration behind the bizarre lumps seen on Gaga’s forehead and cheekbones in the video and single cover.

Orlan filed suit in Paris in 2013 for 7.5 percent of the profits, or $31.7 million, from the 2011 album. Her lawyers filed papers Wednesday in Manhattan federal court seeking the subpoenas.

Since the early ’90s, Orlan has made what she calls “carnal art” from having temporary implants put in her face.

Designers such as Paco Rabanne and Issey Miyake created costumes for Orlan to wear on the operating table while poetry was read and music was played. Orlan, under local anesthetic, was fully conscious during the operations as international audiences watched live via satellite linkups.

Orlan’s US lawyers, Peter Stern and Alan Sash of McLaughlin & Stern said that “Whether in France or in the United States, Orlan’s unique artwork should be protected. We hope that questioning members of Lady Gaga’s creative team will aid the French court in deciding the case.”

Manhattan-bred Gaga, named as Stefani Germanotta in the legal papers, was also accused of appropriating the meat dress she wore to the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards.

Artist Jana Sterbak designed “Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic” in 1987, but didn’t sue Gaga.

“There’s a history of this,” Nick Casale, a private investigator brought in to find evidence, told me. “There’s a degree of arrogance and indifference.”

Says Gaga’s representative, “This is nothing but an attempt by the plaintiff to generate US press coverage around a meritless case that was filed in France several years ago.”