Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Gucci win trademark case against Guccio Gucci



We love it when a family finds a name they like and sticks to it, like George Foreman who named his five sons George (George Jr., George III, George IV, George V and George VI), and Jermaine Jackson who named three of his eight offspring Jermaine, Jaimy, and Jermajesty.

Sadly, however, such family pride doesn't always lead to happy endings.

Yesterday in Florence, a judge ruled against Guccio Gucci and his brother Alessandro Gucci, the great-grandsons of Gucci founder, Guccio Gucci in an intellectual property case brought by the Gucci Group.

WWD report that Guccio and Alessandro's handbag and accessories firm ToBeG Srl has been found guilty of infringement of Gucci's trademarks "illegitimately" using the names "Gucci" and "Guccio Gucci" for its marketing communications and website activities.

The judge ruled that the use of the name 'Guccio Gucci' "determined an unfair association" between ToBeG's products and Gucci's trademarks, and said that its behaviour "constitutes an act of unfair competition to Gucci's detriment because the advertising materials of the defendant caused confusion with Gucci's products and business activities and took unfair advantage of the qualities and reputation of Gucci's products".

READ: Gucci awarded $4.7 million in damages over Guess trademark infringement

Guccio Gucci worked for the family fashion label for 12 years, leaving in 1989 to work for his father's Giorgio G handbag line before setting up ToBeG in 2008.

It's not the first time Gucci Group have been forced to take legal action to protect its name.

Previous victories include a 2009 case against Jennifer Gucci (former wife of Paolo Gucci, grandson of Guccio Gucci) who was operating a chain of Gucci coffee shops; a 2010 case against Cosima Gucci in Hong Kong, and one against Elisabetta Gucci, who was planning a global chain of Gucci hotels.

In May, Gucci were also awarded $4.7 million (£3 million) in damages over trademark infringement by rival fashion label, Guess.

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