YSL Settles Ain't Laurent Lawsuit

YVES SAINT LAURENT has settled its lawsuit against parody T-shirt company What About Yves. The French house took exception to the production of merchandise bearing the words "Ain't Laurent Without Yves" in reaction to creative director Hedi Slimane's decision to rebrand the company without the founder's forename, asserting that the items were guilty of "trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition".

What About Yves. You may recall that YSL filed suit against the company and its founder, Jeanine Heller, this past April for manufacturing and selling t-shirts and sweatshirts that read, Ain’t Laurent Without Yves. The Paris-based company, which dropped the “Yves” from the name of its revamped ready-to-wear collection in 2012 when creative director Hedi Slimane came on board, alleged claims of trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition.

Things got interesting when after YSL sent Heller a number of letters alerting her of such intellectual property charges. According to YSL’s complaint, which was filed in the Southern District of New York court, after a number of letters that YSL sent Heller on the matter went unanswered, Heller finally reached out to the design house's counsel, denied any wrongdoing, and offered to sell her Ain't Laurent Without Yves trademark to them. (Yes, Heller filed to federally register the mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office but was ultimately rejected due to its similarity to a number of existing trademarks belonging to YSL). All the while, Heller continued to sell the allegedly infringing t-shirts to retailers including famed Paris boutique, Colette, with which YSL ultimately cut ties as a result of its stocking of the t-shirt.

After settling a similar lawsuit with Chanel this past year (even though the shirts at issue

in that case are still available for sale on the What About Yves website), Heller settled the case with YSL earlier this month. According to the docket for the Southern District of New York court, the case was voluntarily dismissed on January 12th, and while it appears that Heller agreed to remove the YSL tees, there is no word on what the monetary component of the settlement is as reported by The Fashion Law.


YSL has been bombarded with complaints from dissatisfied fans after unveiling the new Saint Laurent Paris logo on Facebook earlier this week. The brand shared a photo of a box bearing the new logo on their official page - which, despite receiving almost 3,000 Likes so far, has attracted a slew of negative comments.

"Hard to believe such a poor decision has been made, which can only damage the brand," says Chris Dickman, while Molly McGlew adds: "This is so boring and genuinely disappointing."

"Go back to the old logo, the new one lacks imagination," comments Adi Elias. "I'm not a fan of the new logo, but I can see what the brand was aiming for," adds  Lucy Geremin. "But I really do think the Yves or Y was quite important and iconic. The new logo doesn't represent the same brand to me."

But not everyone shares the same view: "What Hedi proposes is both new and old, looking forward but with respect for the old," comments Nick Byrne. "YSL and the full name in the same script were only used for Haute Couture. The ready-to-wear used the same typeface which Hedi has proposed."


"Very fresh, modern, contemporary... of the moment," adds Ian Edwards. "It speaks of an austere, inconspicuous, but highly elegant luxury."

Heller has had a busy year in litigation, after Chanel took issue with a double C-printed T-shirt that she was selling - a case that was also settled out of court. She currently still retails the double C print - along with parodies of the Dior, Hermès and LVMH logos - so it's unlikely that this is the last time we'll hear her name in connection with trademark-infringement accusations.

The settlement comes at a time when the fashion industry is debating the future of Yves Saint Laurent creative director Slimane, despite repeated assertions by the brand that he is going nowhere. The designer is said to have personally objected to the What About Yves pieces so strongly that he chose to withdraw the entire Saint Laurent collection from Parisian boutique Colette in 2013, simply because it also carried the parody sweaters.



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Chanel And "parody" Streetwear Brand in Trademark Suit

Parody Street Wear

CHANEL is unimpressed with a T-shirt depicting its famous double C logo as the Ghostbusters sign, so much so that it is taking legal action against the garment's makers. Jeanine Heller, the founder of "parody" streetwear brand






What About Yves - made famous for its "Aint Laurent Without Yves" merchandise - has been served with a trademark infringement suit by Chanel.

Filed last week in New York, the suit asserts that Heller is "displaying, offering for sale, and selling on her website, and selling to third-party retailers, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt bearing Chanel's CC monogram mark with an image of an animated ghost commonly associated with the motion picture Ghostbusters," The Fashion Law reports.

The company says that, far from "transforming the mark", which is a standard defence for parody products, Heller is using the "clearly recognisable CC monogram mark [on] her own clothing precisely because of the iconic status of the mark, with knowledge of its association with Chanel, in order to call to mind Chanel".

Heller's brand made fashion headlines last year when it was found to be at the root of a disagreement between Saint Laurent and Parisian boutique Colette. Heller's "Aint Laurent" merchandise - which passed comment on creative director Hedi Slimane's decision to drop the word Yves from the brand's logo - was stocked by Colette, leading Slimane to pull his Saint Laurent collection in its entirety from the store.

The website, which is still offering the "Official Chanel X Ghostbusters" designs for sale, also stocks products which parody or infringe (depending on your point of view) the famous logos of brands including Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Dior. Whether any of these brands will take legal action remains to be seen, but Chanel is seeking damages that amount to up to "three times the amount of actual damages sustained" reported Vogue UK



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Chanel Brand Sues Entrepreneur in Trademark Violation

Chanel No: 5

Chanel Inc. is suing a Lithonia entrepreneur for at least $2 million, claiming the businessman is infringing on the global luxury company’s trademark logo and products.

In a suit filed recently in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Chanel said Eric Williams is marketing and selling counterfeit products bearing the company’s logo through his Haus of Ebon accessories store at bonanza.com/booths/hausofebon, Chanel said the company is promoted on Facebook and Pinterest social sites.

Williams could not be reached for comment.

Chanel has been successful in going after businesses that the company claims have violated its trademark, joining other major brands determined to protect their products. Microsoft, for example, has sued several Georgia companies to protect its software.

Chanel said the fake products cause confusion and “deceive customers.”

In April, Chanel won an $894,650 judgment against a Las Vegas businessman the company said counterfeited and sold fake Chanel products, according to Courthouse News Service. Last year, an Indiana salon owner was forced to drop “Chanel” from her business’ name.

Chanel said the Haus of Ebon products carrying its logo include cases and covers for phones and other electronic devices and cosmetic cases. The company said the products with its luxury “mark” will be mistaken for “the genuine high quality goods” offered by Chanel.

According to Forbes magazine, Chanel has annual sales of $5.4 billion.

Chanel is seeking profits from any products sold by the Haus of Ebon and damages in the amount of $2 million for each violation of its trademark.


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Chanel Ordered To Pay Out in Counterfeit Case!

Chanel, London

The luxury fashion house of CHANEL has been ordered Friday to pay £258,000 (€2000,000) knitwear company World Tricot as part of a long-running counterfeiting suit between the two brands.

French luxury house Chanel "counterfeit" a former subcontractor Lure, World Tricot, who continued seven years seven years to combat principle.

What makes this case interesting is World Tricot, one of Chanel's former suppliers, accused the French fashion house of copying one of its designs back in 2009 - a white crochet pattern. Putting the luxury fashion house the other side of the counterfeit fence, having been the subject of mass counterfeit targets.

The Court of Appeal found that the pattern of the jacket is "a slavish copy of the sample belonging to the World Tricot society" and that it was "founded to support the embroidery issue is a collective work created initiative within the company.

Workshops World Tricot Lure Company. Jacques Balthazard Archives

The founder of World Tricot, Carmen Colle, claimed since she recognized in the window of a Chanel boutique in Tokyo crochet pattern she had proposed to brand in 2004 but it was finally rejected, despite their initial enthusiasm.

"It was not a fight against Chanel but for the right of creative artisans," responded Mrs. Paste that could not hold back his tears discovering decision.

His lawyer Pascal Créhange welcomed "a judgment that will set a precedent": "It is a way of recognizing the creativity of all those who, in the shadow of their workshop, have imagination."


"It does justice to the small hands that have more expertise," added his colleague Ms. Hortense Bessière.

Chanel said in a statement that it had not yet decided on a possible appeal. The statement goes on to say, it always claimed to have "guided" World Tricot in creating the pattern.

World Tricot clothing, accusing Chanel cotnrefaçon, November 6, 2009 in Paris © AFP / File / Patrick Kovarik

"We have never faced a situation like this before, knowing that we work with around 400 suppliers. This very specific case does not reflect the quality of our relationships with our suppliers, "said Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel fashion business.

Combat Ms. Colle, who had managed to make a small business work reintegration of women in difficulty for the big names in haute couture, met many supporters in France.

The former host of neighbourhood could not help thinking Friday to "mess" of the seven years of litigation, "all doors closed" since she was attacked Chanel, she says. World Tricot is in liquidation.

At trial, the court sentenced him to pay Chanel World Tricot 400,000 euros compensation for breach of contract that bound them. The Court of Appeal rejected this time the subcontractor on this point.

Alure (Haute-Saône) where the adventure started World Tricot in the late 1980s, with the financial assistance of Abbe Pierre and Secours Catholique, Ms. Colle stimulus gradually a new workshop will present his first collection this week weekend in the small town of Franche-Comté.

In April 2010, a "charter of good practices" was signed between luxury homes and converters, to "rebuild relations" between contractors and subcontractors.

Reaction Chanel puts this case "very specific"

The fashion house Chanel relativized Friday appealed his conviction for infringement of a small subcontractor, World Tricot, after seven years of litigation, emphasising the new and "very specific" in this case.

"We have never faced a situation like this before, knowing that we work with around 400 suppliers. This very specific case does not reflect the quality of our relationships with our suppliers, "said Bruno Pavlovsky, head of the branch mode Chanel.

Chanel said they would decide "soon" whether or not it appeals to the Supreme Court.

"This story is bad. This is a misunderstanding concerning a sample hook and the first court had recognised our role in creation ", told AFP service communication Chanel.

"Chanel is working nearly 400 suppliers and most over 15 years, some for over 30 years," he added, noting that "the case with World Tricot is very specific, very technical and completely new ".

Chanel was pleased however to have prevailed on the issue of trade relations with Knitting World: The Paris Court of Appeal did not consider that Chanel had broken so offending trade links with World Tricot, contrary to the judgment of first instance. "It is important for our image with suppliers," said Chanel.

The house will still have to pay 200,000 euros in damages to World Tricot infringement.

In December 2011, the Paris Commercial Court had dismissed World Tricot on charges of forgery and was ordered to pay 200,000 euros in compensation to Chanel for "clear defamation" brand. But he was also sentenced to pay Chanel World Tricot 400,000 euros compensation for breach of contract that bound them.

Have we heard the last of this we think probably not. Have your say.

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Additional content thanks Lalsace France