The Kardashian sisters were the celebrity endorsers for a cosmetic line previously called “Khroma Beauty” that was created and marketed by Boldface....more
6/7/2019
/ Breach of Contract ,
Celebrity Endorsements ,
EU ,
Fashion Branding ,
IP License ,
Kardashians ,
Lanham Act ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Standing ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks
Jasmin Larian, the owner of Cult Gaia, started selling the “Ark” bag in 2013. Since then the Ark bag has been seen on celebrities including Jessica Alba and was even touted as 2017’s “IT” bag. ...more
3/14/2018
/ Acquired Distinctiveness ,
Cease and Desist ,
Concurrent Litigation ,
Counterfeiting ,
Declaratory Relief ,
Fashion Design ,
Fashion Industry ,
Irreparable Harm ,
Misleading Impressions ,
Trade Dress ,
Trademark Infringement
In December, the Second Circuit ruled that My Other Bag (MOB) was not liable for infringing Louis Vuitton’s trademarks and copyrights because MOB’s bags were a parody of the luxury giant....more
1/31/2018
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Damages ,
Exceptional Case ,
Fashion Branding ,
Lanham Act ,
Louis Vuitton ,
Octane Fitness v. ICON ,
Parody ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks
Newcomer to the luxury cosmetics marketplace, Tatcha LLC (“Tatcha”), recently made a splash by filing a trade dress infringement lawsuit in the Northern District of California against Too Faced Cosmetics LLC (“Too Faced”), a...more
Update: U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain has awarded Tiffany & Co. $11.1 million in treble profits and $8.25 million in punitive damages. Judge Taylor Swain wrote in her opinion that Costco’s management “displayed...more
8/18/2017
/ Corporate Branding ,
Costco ,
Damages ,
Genericide ,
Jury Trial ,
Lost Profits ,
Punitive Damages ,
Summary Judgment ,
Tiffany and Company ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks ,
Treble Damages ,
Unfair Competition
Over the last year, there have been some significant trademark and copyright cases in the fashion industry. Below are summaries of recent cases all brand owners should know and understand. These cases touch on important...more
6/9/2017
/ Brand ,
Copyright ,
Copyright Infringement ,
Copyrightable Subject Matter ,
Disparagement ,
Fashion Branding ,
Fashion Industry ,
First Amendment ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Lee v Tam ,
Louis Vuitton ,
Paintings Sculptures and Engravings ,
Parody ,
Punitive Damages ,
SCOTUS ,
Secondary Meaning ,
Star Athletica v Varsity Brands ,
Tiffany and Company ,
Trade Dress ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ,
Trademarks ,
Uniforms
Does the use of Google AdWords amount to the advertising, promoting, marketing, or offering for sale of goods covered by a registered trademark? Tipsy Elves, LLC. vs. Ugly Christmas Sweater, Inc. is the latest in a string of...more
6/8/2017
/ AdWords ,
Consumer Confusion ,
Deceptive Intent ,
False Advertising ,
Fashion Industry ,
Google ,
Keyword Advertising ,
Lanham Act ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks ,
Young Lawyers
In the fashion and beauty world, the copying of higher-priced brands is widespread. While in fashion, the term for copies of designer products is “knockoffs,” in beauty, the term is “dupes.” Whether it is a colloquial use of...more
On March 24, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the term “red gold” may not be a generic term for jewelry and watches, and thus, may serve as a trademark. Specifically, the Ninth Circuit found...more
4/12/2017
/ Appeals ,
Declaration ,
Evidence ,
Fashion Branding ,
Fashion Industry ,
Generic ,
Jury Trial ,
Louis Vuitton ,
Remand ,
Trade Associations ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademark Registration ,
Trademarks ,
Triable Issue of Fact
Airwair, the owner of the Dr. Martens brand, recently launched a series of lawsuits in the Northern District of California to enforce the trade dress of its “iconic boots and shoes.” One lawsuit was filed in October against...more
3/27/2017
/ Consent Order ,
Design Patent ,
Dilution ,
False Designation of Origin ,
Fashion Design ,
Fashion Industry ,
Inherently Distinctive ,
International Trade Commission (ITC) ,
Lanham Act ,
Permanent Injunctions ,
Secondary Meaning ,
Service Marks ,
Trade Dress ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks ,
Unfair Competition
Much like the world of Underland created in Lewis Carroll’s book Alice Through the Looking Glass, the blurring between copyright and trademark rights can create a topsy-turvy universe....more
On Wednesday, November 9, 2016 the estate of Marilyn Monroe filed a complaint in the Southern District of New York against Fashion Central. The Monroe Estate claims that Fashion Central infringes its intellectual property...more
11/17/2016
/ Celebrities ,
Dilution ,
Fashion Design ,
Lanham Act ,
Marilyn Monroe ,
Misappropriation ,
Popular ,
Right of Publicity ,
Trademark Infringement ,
Trademarks ,
Unfair Competition ,
Unjust Enrichment