Italian jewelry company Buccellati is suing Miami-based handbag company Laura Buccellati LLC. for copyright infringement, claiming the handbag firm is “capitalizing on the popularity of the Buccellati trademarks.”
Laura Buccellati is actually the grandniece of the famed jeweler Mario Buccellati, and it’s this heritage that led her to employ the tagline “jewel of a bag.” That’s probably been the tipping point here, but now it seems the handbag company could lose much more than its slogan.
If Buccellati’s court case is successful, Laura Buccellati will need to stop using the Buccellati name altogether. All products in the marketplace will be taken from sale, her website domain laurabuccellati.com will be revoked, and she’ll need to pay damages and court costs. That’s the sort of thing that could easily put a small fashion house out of business.
Laura Buccellati is refusing to comment on the matter at this time as she has not had the opportunity to review the lawsuit. I’d start reading if I were her, because this lawsuit is going to take some beating.
What’s your opinion of this case? Does the famous jewelry firm have a right to protect its famous surname, or should it be used in business by anyone else who bears it?
