U2 stylist goes back to court in wardrobe wrangle
The London-based image consultant was ordered by the Circuit Court last year to hand back a Stetson hat, a sweatshirt, earrings and a pair of trousers worn by lead singer Bono despite her protestations that she was given the items, as memorabilia, at the end of the Joshua Tree tour in 1987.
The band claim Ms Cashman tried to auction items of their clothing without permission.
She quickly lodged an appeal to the High Court, which is due to begin hearing the case tomorrow, and is scheduled to take two days to complete. At least some of the band members are expected to attend.
Bono was in the United States last week promoting his ethical clothing and accessories range, Red, but he and the other members are regrouping, in the coming days, to prepare for the next phase of their Vertigo World Tour in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
The proceedings were initiated by U2 to retrieve the clothing and other items, including almost 200 photographs and a Christmas decoration made by a fan, which they said Ms Cashman had no right to keep.
Bono told the Circuit Court hearing in June last year that he and the rest of U2 only became aware that she had the items when auction house, Christie’s, sought to verify their authenticity.
Ms Cashman, who helped create Bono’s iconic cowboy look during the Joshua Tree period, claims she was defamed by a letter the band wrote to Christie’s in reply, questioning how she came to have the items.
She has said she will be taking separate legal proceedings in London, accusing the band of ruining her professional reputation and making it impossible for her to find work.
After being ordered to give back the items last year, Ms Cashman was presented with a bill for the band’s legal costs and complained that the case had left her impoverished. If she loses, this week’s appeal could cost her tens of thousands of euro.
The case attracted massive worldwide publicity, with Ms Cashman giving tantalising accounts of the band’s post-gig celebrations and Bono taking to the witness stand to explain that his fluctuating waistline required him to have identical trousers in various sizes.
Much debate also centred on a pair of green Converse runners which Ms Cashman said drummer Larry Mullen had given her after autographing them.
Mullen said he had never owned a pair of the well-known brand in green.
The band have rarely suffered from kiss-and-tell publicity, and defended their insistence on having the items returned.
They said they keep all clothing and accessories from their working wardrobe for use in future tours, photo shoots and films.
