“Louis Valentin,” “Louis V” Marks Infringe Louis Vuitton Trademarks, District Court Says

An importer and seller of cheap sunglasses infringed French fashion house Louis Vuitton’s marks with its “Louis Valentin” and “Louis•V” marks, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled March 31 (Louis Vuitton Malletier S.A. v. Sunny Merch. Corp., S.D.N.Y., 1:13-cv-05242-LAP, 3/31/15).

The court granted Louis Vuitton summary judgment on infringement largely based on the strength of Louis Vuitton’s marks, the similarity of the marks at issue, evidence of actual confusion and the seller’s bad faith in co-opting the marks.

The court denied summary judgment to both sides on whether the seller had counterfeited ...