Designers copy and feed off their peers all the time. That’s the beauty of fashion. Making something that’s fashionably in – yet distinct from your competition. But something as well known as the signature red sole featured on all Christian Louboutin soles is something that just should not be imitated. Christian Louboutin is now suing rival Yves Saint Laurent, saying the French fashion house is unfairly copying its trademark red paint job in its own line of women’s shoes. YSL has some of the best platform shaped shoes on the market, they don’t need a red sole to stand out. Read all the details and tell us what you think after the jump!
MommysDirtyLittleSecret – They are one of the most recognizable designs in fashion history.
With their distinctive red under sole, Christian Louboutin’s towering heels have graced the world’s most famous feet for nearly two decades.
But the Gallic shoemaker is now suing rival Yves Saint Laurent in a New York City court, saying the French fashion house is unfairly copying its trademark red paint job in its own line of women’s shoes.
The lawsuit says designer Christian Louboutin originated the Red Sole logo trademark nearly 20 years ago.
Court papers filed on Thursday state that Louboutin came up with the idea in 1992 after painting red nail polish on the black soles of a pair of women’s shoes.
The papers go on to talk of the ubiquity of Louboutin heels, which can fetch up to $1000, citing their popularity with celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Scarlett Johansson and Halle Berry.
Louboutin charges that this year, Yves Saint Laurent started selling its own version of the red soled shoe in several upmarket New York stores, including Barney’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.
The lawsuit states: ‘The Red Sole has become synonymous with Christian Louboutin and high fashion,’ before adding that Louboutin had trademarked the design in the United States in 2008.
The suit continues: ‘The defendants use of red footwear outsoles that are virtually identical to plaintiff’s Red Sole Mark is likely to cause and is causing confusion, mistake and deception among the relevant purchasing public as to the origin of the infringing footwear.
‘The location of the bright colour on the outsole of a woman’s pump is said to provide an alluring ‘flash of red’ when a woman walks down the street, or on the red carpet of a special event.’
Shortly after Louboutin founded his first boutique in Paris in 1991 all his shoes have had red-lacquered soles.
