Fashion Madonna Sparks Complaint

A religious group outraged over a fashion house’s decision to dress one of its models as the Madonna filed a complaint Monday accusing the designers of defiling a sacred image “just for money.”

Guillermo Mariotto, a designer at the Gattinoni fashion house, insisted he was only trying to portray purity by his choice of outfits.

He did, however, agree to substitute a garland of roses for the crown of thorns the model had planned to wear for the show.

The show is part of Rome’s high fashion week, when Italy’s top designers parade their wares at unique settings throughout the city.

The complaint by the Lay Committee for Religious Liberty accused Gattinoni of “abusing, just for money, the image of the Madonna.”

It was unclear whether the change of headgear was enough to satisfy critics.