Valentino Says Mario Valentino’s Handbags Cause Confusion

Valentino S.p.A. has accused another Italian handbag maker of trying to pass off its bags as Valentinos.

Mario Valentino S.p.A. breaches the terms of an agreement with Valentino by identifying the bags as “Valentino” bags instead of “Mario Valentino,” the complaint filed July 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California says.

Valentino says MV’s handbags “have not achieved the prestige of Valentino handbags,” noting that Valentino bags often cost tens of thousands of dollars, and MV’s bags can “typically be purchased for under $500.”

The complaint says that the companies signed a “co-existence agreement” in ...