justice

LVMH Targets Danity Kane in Trademark Suit

Some trademark suits just seem silly, as if filed because someone in the office needed something to do that day. But we fully support the suit LVMH filed against P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Records for unauthorized use of its intellectual property by fractured girl group Danity Kane. The suit was just settled amicably out of court; financial terms were not disclosed, but Bad Boy agreed to remove images of Louis trademarks in Danity Kane’s self-titled debut album and two videos. If we were LVMH, we wouldn’t want our Louis Vuitton monogram mixing in with the pleather, metallic-silk-screened frocks, plastic jewelry, and other offensive items of apparel in Danity Kane’s closet, either. Bad Boy might have seen this coming — recently Sony BMG had to pay LVMH more than $150,000 after Britney Spears fashioned a pink Louis Vuitton–monogram dashboard for the car she drives through the sky in her “Do Somethin’ ” video. And if Britney’s not getting away with it, you know Danity Kane stands no chance. Now if only we could take legal action against non-trademark-related wardrobe offenses.

MUSIC TO ITS EARS [WWD]

LVMH Targets Danity Kane in Trademark Suit