Mwah! Lipstick shape registered as EU trade mark
In a decision likely to be welcomed by owners of 3D trade marks, the EU General Court has ruled that the shape of Guerlain’s Rouge G...
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Jul 3, 20212 min read
A jewel by any other name... passing off in the jewellery world
Miss Recorder Amanda Michaels, sitting as a judge in the IPEC, has upheld a claim for passing off in a dispute between two jewellery...
Jun 23, 20212 min read
Is Cybersquatting a big problem?
In short, "yes". Cybersquatters are a growing threat to brands. This trend has accelerated as e-commerce grows and consumers spend more...
Jun 14, 20212 min read
What will Department Stores Look Like Post Pandemic?
The pandemic has had a deadly toll on bricks and mortar retail. This has particularly affected some department stores, including the...
Jun 14, 20212 min read
Resell, resell, resell! Etsy buys Depop
The retail space may still be recovering from some post Covid (& Brexit) turbulence, ecommerce continues to buck the trend. Etsy has...
May 1, 20212 min read
Chanel and Huawei logos are dissimilar
The EU General Court has upheld a Board of Appeal ruling in a dispute between Chanel and Huawei, finding that Huawei’s EUTM application...
Apr 21, 20212 min read
Satan Shoes - Nike and the devil tussle over trade mark exhaustion
Occasionally IP disputes break into the public domain. This one has to do with Nike, a famous brand, and also to do with Satan. Rosie and...
Mar 7, 20211 min read
Image protection in the UK and beyond
Image rights are both hugely important and a fallacy. The UK, has no specific law of "image rights" but it is possible to protect a...
Feb 22, 20211 min read
Are you Notorious? The USTR updates its list of Notorious Markets
In its annual review of markets that engage in or facilitate counterfeiting and piracy, the US Trade Representative has named 39 online...
Feb 2, 20212 min read
Brand investment pays off for Dr Martens
Dr Martens, the footwear and clothing brand that defined my teens, is launching an initial public offering (IPO) which could value the...
Jan 29, 20212 min read
Brands prosper despite business difficulties
It’s a sad consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns in many countries that retailers have lost business, and regrettably...
Jan 27, 20212 min read
A recent development for Position marks
The Court of Justice for the European Union (CJEU) clarified the assessment of a position mark's distinctiveness in Aktiebolaget...
Jan 26, 20213 min read
Covid and the digital future for the fashion industry
There is no doubt that Covid has been extremely challenging for retail in general and fashion in particular. These challenges have...
Jan 6, 20212 min read
European Commission takes fight to online counterfeiters
Is help coming to tackle the scourge of counterfeits sold on online marketplaces? Counterfeit goods affect all businesses as they grow...
Dec 24, 20201 min read
The last Community Design case (in the UK)
A case regarding “ballet flats” is likely the last time in which a UK court will sit as a Community Design Court, and the judgment was...
Dec 24, 20202 min read
Brand extensions beware!
You take a famous car company with a well known trade mark, say Ferrari, and decide that you can get an entirely new revenue stream...
Oct 25, 20204 min read
Will wearable tech revive retail?
Fashion and technology have long been on a collision course and, like so much, the pandemic has accelerated things in a dramatic and life...
Oct 13, 20202 min read
Search Orders - an important tool to stop counterfeits & more
There are many reasons why someone might want to get a search order. It is a very draconian remedy that gives a successful applicant the...
Oct 4, 20203 min read
Don't lose your rights after Brexit
We first wrote about the impact of Brexit over a year ago back in a pre pandemic era. Although we still don't have a deal. The outcomes...
Sep 20, 20205 min read
Online counterfeits - the Alibaba, Police and Brand perspective
Some luxury brands still choose to not operate an online presence. Whether this is sustainable in the long term is unclear. Regardless of...
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