Michael’s Tribute Belt

Simon Touseley, the designer and producer of Simon belts, has put a decorated, flashy belt up for auction on his website in memory of Michael since Thursday. This leather belt is adorned with crystals and symbols of the King of Pop’s famous dance moves. The product is being sold to help the Jacksons Institute, which is planning to build a museum in Gary, Indiana.

Although this belt was signed at home in Encino by Michael’s mother and father and all three of his children, the Michael Jackson Foundation says that the production and sale of this product were not done with their permission. The contract for making and selling the belt was carried out by Katherine, Michael’s mother.

Blanket, 8 years old, has been given the most space to sign on this belt. His 13-year-old brother, Prince, helped Blanket write the last name. Paris, 12, is also skilled at creating signatures. She drew the dot of the letter “i” like a “heart” and curved the tail of the letter “R.”

Howard Weitzman, one of the lawyers for the Michael Jackson Foundation, said they oppose the sale of any product that includes the mark and signature of Michael’s children: “The officials of the Michael Jackson Foundation had not issued permission to produce and sell this belt. We will never turn a blind eye to the misuse of Michael’s children’s signatures as a tool to advertise products.”

The foundation has not yet taken legal action, but it is possible that the company Bravado—which has purchased the exclusive rights to produce Michael Jackson products—may seek to stop this sale.

Source: eMJey / TMZ / CNN