Chanel files TM suit against mobile accessory firms
Luxury fashion house launches latest bid to defend logo | Suit alleges unauthorised use of Chanel trademarks in phone products.
Chanel has filed a complaint alleging trademark infringement over the use of its logo by mobile phone accessories providers.
The suit names three parties, Farshad Najafi, FE Corporation and MM Cell Corp, alleging that they used the luxury brand’s trademarks including its monogram.
In addition to trademark infringement, the trio stand accused of false designation of origin, false advertising, federal trademark dilution, and unfair competition.
The complaint, filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleged that the defendants, through their business operations in California, have been involved in the design, manufacture, importation, distribution, advertising, and sale of phone accessory products using marks identical to or “confusingly similar” to Chanel's trademarks.
The accused products were discovered at a store inside the Arden Fair mall in Sacramento, California and another store named Custom Cases Phone Repair in Roseville, California.
Chanel emphasised its significant investment in developing, advertising, and promoting its trademarks, asserting that the alleged activities by the defendants create a false impression that there is a connection between them and Chanel.
The French luxury brand argued that the defendants' activities have caused “irreparable harm” to the “goodwill and reputation” associated with its trademarks.
Chanel sought various forms of relief, including injunctive measures to prevent further unauthorised use of its trademarks, the recall and destruction of remaining inventory of accused products, and damages resulting from the alleged infringement and unfair competition.
Chanel fights to defend its trademark
This case marks the latest attempt by the luxury brand to protect its logo.
In 2021, Chanel failed to stop Huawei from using a trademark that the fashion house argued resembled its logo when a EU court ruled that while the logos shared some similarities, their visual differences were significant.
The dispute began in 2017 when Huawei tried to register a computer hardware trademark at the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that featured two vertical interlocking semi-circles.
In December 2017, Chanel opposed the application saying that the design was too similar to its registered French logo of two horizontal interlocking semi-circles that feature on the branding of its perfumes, cosmetics, costume jewellery, leather goods and clothing.
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