One of the world’s most litigious fashion house’s, Louis Vuitton, has a new target in its sights. This time around the European fashion giant is going after the crew of Todd Philips’ comedy smash, The Hangover II.
Louis Vuitton filed a lawsuit with the federal court in New York after it spotted a counterfeit Louis Vuitton handbag in the film. The offending scene sees Zach Galifinakis’ Alan saying “Careful, that is a Louis Vuitton” while pointing to a counterfeit purse.
Louis Vuitton says the cinematic scenario has resulted in consumer confusion and thus damaged the label. The lawsuit alleges that the film has resulted in trademark dilution, false destination of origin, and unfair competition. As Warner Bros has refused to alter the scene for the DVD, Louis Vuitton hopes to settle the case by claiming a share of the film’s profits.
It’s strange to see a lawsuit mounted so long after the movie’s release. It hit cinemas in May, and was released on DVD earlier this month. Perhaps Louis Vuitton execs didn’t see it until it hit the small screen. At any rate, this sounds like a fairly small time crime to me. I often wonder why such a large company like Louis Vuitton continues to make such grabs for cash. It’s also interesting to see cases now which don’t just deal with the unauthorized use of designer goods, but also their replicas.
Do you think the folks behind The Hangover II have a case to answer?
[Source: International Business Times]
[Image Source: PopCultureGeek/Wikipedia Commons]
