Kate Spade, Vinci Must Negotiate Brand Dispute, Judge Orders

Luxury fashion brand Kate Spade LLC and Vinci Brands LLC must come together at the negotiating table, a federal judge said Tuesday, to resolve licensing issues with Vinci’s Kate Spade-branded line of cell phone cases.

The two companies have filed dueling lawsuits in the Southern District of New York over their nine-year-long agreement that allowed Vinci to offer the branded cell phone cases. Both sides claim the other breached the agreement, which was terminated by Kate Spade earlier this month after Vinci allegedly failed to make payments.

Judge Lorna Schofield on Tuesday said there’s likely a pathway to a peaceful ...