Presented in early December as a lauded innovation to improve the comfort and privacy of female patients during gynecological examinations, a medical gown is now the subject of heated controversy. While a French engineer, Rodolphe Cressonnier, is being highlighted in several media outlets for this concept, a Swiss designer claims to have been working on a nearly identical project for several years and denounces the misappropriation of her work.
Prior rights at the heart of the controversy
Lirjeta Maxhuni, trained in industrial design in Switzerland, claims to have developed a gown as early as 2022 designed to limit bodily exposure during consultations, in collaboration with healthcare professionals and patients. She points to numerous formal and conceptual similarities with the recently publicized product, which she considers too many to be mere coincidence. The engineer, for his part, rejects all accusations and cites a previously filed patent, arguing that it is a convergence of ideas addressing the same medical needs.
Beyond this individual case, the affair reignites the debate on the recognition of the work of female designers and the protection of projects from design schools, which are often highly exposed before any legal safeguards are in place. No legal proceedings have yet been successful, but the exchanges have become more heated, raising the prospect of litigation.
