Gucci has gone to federal court docket to defend its branded turf.
The Italian luxurious model’s Gucci America Inc. division filed three lawsuits in Manhattan Tuesday afternoon, in search of to guard itself from what it alleges have been counterfeit items offered at Sam’s Membership and Lord & Taylor.
Mark that as the subsequent battlefront for the Gucci model, which has repeatedly been the goal of counterfeiters and is energetic in defending itself.
“After an intensive investigation, Gucci confirms it has taken authorized motion in opposition to Lord & Taylor, Sam’s Membership and Century 21 for his or her function in advertising and marketing and promoting counterfeit Gucci merchandise,” the model mentioned in a press release. “Gucci stays dedicated to defending its clients from retailers benefiting from the sale of counterfeit items.”
Within the Lord & Taylor go well with, the model mentioned: “Annually, Gucci spends tens of millions of {dollars} on promoting to advertise the products and providers provided below the Gucci marks in america. Because of Gucci’s efforts and the enchantment of the Gucci model, Gucci sells excessive portions of shopper items yearly in america.”
Gucci is in search of injunctive and financial aid within the go well with, which alleges Lord & Taylor and different unidentified people infringed on the corporate’s trademark and engaged in unfair competitors. A consultant for Lord & Taylor didn’t instantly reply to a WWD question late Tuesday.
Lord & Taylor was among the many retail manufacturers to succumb to chapter throughout the pandemic. It was purchased by Saadia Group in 2020 and relaunched a web site.
Within the go well with, Gucci alleged that Lord & Taylor and the opposite defendants “manufactured, marketed, provided on the market, offered, distributed, imported, and/or exported purses bearing marks which can be similar to or extremely just like the Gucci marks.”
This 12 months, Gucci mentioned it bought a number of purses from the Lord & Taylor web site, together with a purple bag labeled because the “GG Marmont Matelassé Digital camera Bag” listed at $1,555, and a black bag known as the “GG Marmont Shoulder Bag” for $2,400.
“After buy, Gucci examined the Counterfeit Merchandise, and confirmed that they’re non-genuine,” the go well with mentioned.
“In June 2023, Gucci notified defendants in regards to the counterfeit merchandise which can be provided on the market on Lord & Taylor’s web site,” the go well with mentioned. “Counsel for Lord & Taylor responded by admitting that it was conscious that it was promoting counterfeit merchandise, however then failed to reply additional to Gucci’s communications.”
Along with an injunction, Gucci additionally requested the court docket to compel Lord & Taylor to show over counterfeit items for “impoundment and eventual destruction, with out compensation.”
The fits in opposition to Sam’s Membership and Century 21 made comparable claims.
Gucci mentioned within the Sam’s Membership go well with that it bought “two purses from Sam’s Membership’s web site bearing the Gucci marks: one black purse, which was known as the ‘Gucci GG Marmont Matelassé Mini Bag in Black’ and had a listed worth of $1,100 on Sam’s Membership web site, and one pink purse, which was known as the ‘Gucci GG Marmont Matelassé Mini Bag in Dusty Pink’ and had a listed worth of $1,100 on Sam’s Membership’s web site.”
Neither Sam’s Membership or Century 21 instantly replied to WWD requests for remark.
