The architect who designed the prize-winning Morrison Hotel in Dublin has accused the fashion designer Mr John Rocha of exaggerating his involvement in the project. Solicitors acting on behalf of Douglas Wallace, the architects of the hotel have written to Mr Rocha's lawyers on the subject.
The Morrison, one of Dublin's trendiest watering holes, was developed by publican Mr Hugh O'Regan and since opening last year has received worldwide acclaim for its striking modern design.
Mr Rocha's involvement has been the subject of much of the media coverage and according to Mr Hugh Wallace of architects Douglas Wallace, his role has been overstated.
The architect is particularly concerned about recent interviews with Irish newspapers in which Mr Rocha was credited as being the designer of the hotel.
"We were the designers. We have the drawings for anyone to see," said Mr Wallace. The project involved the collaboration of many artists and designers, co-ordinated by Douglas Wallace, he said.
"It was like an orchestra. He (Mr Rocha) was a fundamental element, but he did not design it," said Mr Wallace. "We have consulted our legal advisers. Our solicitors have been in contact with his," he said.
Mr Rocha declined to discuss the matter yesterday. "There is nothing to talk about really," he said, referring all queries to his solicitors, Ivor Fitzpatrick and Co.
"They (Douglas Wallace) have made their position clear. We have made ours clear. No proceedings have issued," according to Mr Rocha's lawyers.
The Hong Kong-born fashion designer, has become involved in a number of other building projects, partly on foot of his involvement with the Morrison Hotel. He is working with Space, a British design group, on the development of apartments and a pub in a listed 1930s building in Liverpool. He is also involved in a bar in Manchester and another in Sweden.
In Dublin, Mr Rocha is working on a another project with Mr O'Regan to develop the old Ambassador Cinema site on O'Connell Street. The architects on the new project are Scott Tallon Walker.
Mr Rocha's fashion business appears not to be doing as well, although he has recently designed a range of clothes for Debenhams and plans a new collection later in the year.
Last year he resigned as a director of Glibro Design, a company backed by the family of his wife Odette and set up a new company with his wife called Three Moon Design.
Plans to licence the John Rocha name to Portuguese clothing manufacturers have taken longer to implement than planned and in February the John Rocha shop in Central London was closed and staff laid off at his Dublin office.
Although Glibro Design has the contract under which the John Rocha name is lent to a range of Waterford Crystal since May 1997, the company had large debts.
The most recent accounts for Glibro, which were filed in February 2000 and related to the year to September 1998, show that it has accumulated losses of over £1 million (€1.27 million) and owed £1.7 million in interest free loans to other Gleeson family companies that "are not repayable until the company is in a financial position to do so". The Gleeson brothers, John and Frank, are based in Geneva and have extensive interests including commodity trading.
No more up-to-date accounts for Glibro Design have been filed since the 1998 accounts and last month KPMG resigned as auditors to the company.
