September 14th, 2009, 11:13 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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another user.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Seattle!
Posts: 18,161
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New Balance sues Louis Vuitton! For copying
Usually you hear it the other way around, but in this case, New Balance is sueing Lous Vuitton.
The News:
Quote:
Boston’s New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. is suing LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, accusing the luxury goods company of copying its best-selling casual sneaker.
New Balance claims Louis Vuitton’s Minstrel shoe is virtually identical to its 574 sneaker introduced in the mid-1990s.
The 574 is extremely popular with the general public and in fashion and celebrity circles, with 20 million-plus pairs sold since 2002, according to the trademark infringement lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Boston. Celebrities frequently seen wearing the 574s include Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Blake Lively, Ludacris and Will Ferrell.
New Balance said it’s worked with artists and designers on special editions of the 574 in upscale fabrics that typically sell out. Given that, ordinary consumers are likely to erroneously believe New Balance has an affiliation with Louis Vuitton’s Minstrel shoe, the company asserts.
“Indeed, it is possible that had New Balance authorized Louis Vuitton to design a special Louis Vuitton edition of the iconic New Balance 574 shoe, the Minstrel might have been a highly successful collaboration,” the suit says.
Paris-based Louis Vuitton started selling the Minstrel for $590 last month. It mimics the 574’s shape and construction, the lawsuit alleges, and the suede version comes in grey - the top-selling color for the 574, which sells for $75. The initials “LV” also are located in the same place as the “N” on New Balance sneakers.
New Balance isn’t alone in noticing the similarities. Its court complaint points to nine online sites that wrote about them, including Major(ISH), which said, “Are they sure these are Louis Vuitton and not New Balance! I guess we ran out of ideas!”
In a statement, New Balance said it believes Louis Vuitton takes its own intellectual property rights seriously, and it’s hopeful the matter can be resolved promptly. Louis Vuitton did not return calls.
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