Is Farfetch the fairest luxury online platform of them all? This episode is focused on the company Farfetch as it has been touted as being one of the world’s most successful online luxury platforms. I discuss the history and brief biography of the owner and founder of the company and the Farfetch business model. Finally, I discuss and analyze the ongoing high profile federal securities class action lawsuit which Farfetch is embroiled in and which has not yet been resolved, despite starting in September of 2019. Enjoy and thank you for listening!

Episode Notes: 

1.  In re Farfetch Limited Securities Litigation, 1:19-cv-08657-AJN (S.D.N.Y. 2019)

I begin this episode with some background history of the House of Fendi and then analyze a few interesting patents and trademarks which are owned by Fendi. In the second half of the  episode I discuss and analyze two recent intellectual property lawsuits involving Fendi, one which Fendi filed against various alleged counterfeiters and then a lawsuit  that was filed by a photography company against Fendi for alleged copyright infringement of a "street style" photograph featuring the actress Blake Lively wearing a Fendi outfit. Enjoy and thank you for listening! 

Episode Notes: 

1. Fendi Design Patent : Handbag 

https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=D0875392&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D1%2526p%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPTXT%2526S1%3Dfendi.ASNM.%2526OS%3Dan%2Ffendi%2526RS%3DAN%2Ffendi&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

2. Fendi S.R.L. v.  The Individuals, Partnerships, and Unincorporated Associations Identified on Schedule "A", 0:20-cv-61724 (S.D.Fla. 2020)

3. Eva’s Photography, Inc. v. Fendi North America, Inc., 1:20-cv-03331 (S.D.N.Y. 2020)

Will Neiman Marcus be able to make a comeback? I begin this episode by providing a brief history of Neiman Marcus, then discuss their bankruptcy protection filing and recent exit. I also discuss and analyze the Neiman Marcus legal battle with hedge fund Marble Ridge Capital. At the end of the episode, I discuss and update the active copyright infringement case in which Neiman Marcus is embroiled (Sealaska Heritage Institute v. Neiman Marcus). Enjoy and thank you for listening! 

Episode Notes:

1. Neiman Marcus Plant Patent: Rose Plant 

https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=PP005425&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D35%2526p%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPTXT%2526S1%3Dneiman.ASNM.%2526OS%3Dan%2Fneiman%2526RS%3DAN%2Fneiman&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

2. Marble Ridge Capital LP v. Neiman Marcus Group Inc., et al, DC-18-18371 (F-116TH)

3. Sealaska Heritage Institute Inc v. Neiman Marcus Group LTD, LLC et al (1:20-cv-00002)

4. Minding the Store by Stanley Marcus Book

https://www.amazon.com/Minding-Store-Stanley-Marcus/dp/157441139X

I begin the episode with some brief history of the world’s  most valuable luxury conglomerate, LVMH. Then in the second half of the episode I go over  the  events that occurred since the attempted LVMH and Tiffany & Co. merger in late 2019. I then discuss and analyze the lawsuit that Tiffany & Co.  filed on September 9, 2020  against LVMH for attempting to back out of their deal. Finally, I discuss a few more relevant events that happened after this September 9, 2020 filing by Tiffany & Co. Enjoy and thank you for listening! 

Episode Notes: 

1. Tiffany & Co. v. LVMH Complaint filed on September 9, 2020:

https://static.reuters.com/resources/media/editorial/20200917/09172020tiffany.pdf

I begin Part 1 of this 3 Part Retail Climate Change mini-series where I discuss and analyze the changes to the current retail climate that have been accelerated by the pandemic, namely e-commerce. In this episode I discuss various online marketplace platforms and the changes they are facing along with a few relevant lawsuits. I also examine the new Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit and the recent (September 15, 2020) Amazon "Luxury Stores" launch and go over some of the recent patents Amazon has been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

Episode Notes: 

1. Amazon, Inc. and Valentino S.P.A., v. Kaitlyn Pan Group, LLC and Hao Pan, 2:20-cv-00934 (W.D. Wash.)

2. Oberdorf v. Amazon.com Inc, No. 18-1041 (3d Cir. 2019)

3. Oberdorf v. Amazon.com Inc., 3d Cir. en banc, No. 18-1041

4.  Amazon Patent : System to Facilitate Communication

https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=10778826&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D53%2526p%3D2%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPTXT%2526S1%3Damazon.ASNM.%2526OS%3Dan%2Famazon%2526RS%3DAN%2Famazon&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

5.  Tiffany (NJ) Inc. v. eBay Inc. 600 F.3d 93 (2nd Cir. 2010)

This episode is all about Bottega Veneta and their recent explosion in popularity. I begin the episode with some brief history of the Bottega Veneta fashion house and then go over some interesting patents and trademarks the company owns. I discuss a few lawsuits that the fashion house was involved in against Chinese shopping giant, Alibaba. I end the episode by providing updates on two outstanding lawsuits from Season 1 of my podcast series - Sealaska v. Neiman Marcus and the patent infringement lawsuit,  Jacob's Jewelry v. Tiffany and Co. Thank you for listening. Enjoy! 

Episode Notes: 

1. Bottega Veneta Handbag patent: 

https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=D0894595&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D1%2526p%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPTXT%2526S1%3Dbottega.ASNM.%2526OS%3Dan%2Fbottega%2526RS%3DAN%2Fbottega&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

2.  Bottega Veneta Table patent:

https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=D0858162&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D6%2526p%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPTXT%2526S1%3Dbottega.ASNM.%2526OS%3Dan%2Fbottega%2526RS%3DAN%2Fbottega&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page

3. Gucci America Inc et al v. Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd et al, No. 15-03784 (SDNY)

4. Sealaska Heritage Institute Inc v. Neiman Marcus Group LTD, LLC et al (1:20-cv-00002)

5. Jacob’s Jewelry Co., Ltd. et al. v. Tiffany and Co. US Sales, LLC, 1:20-cv-04291 (S.D.N.Y.)

This episode is all about the differences in European/UK vs. U.S. intellectual property law.  This is a special episode featuring an interview and discussion with U.K. fashion lawyer and author, Rosie Burbidge. Rosie wrote the book titled, European Fashion Law. We discuss the various  trademark, patent and copyright differences in the UK/EU and US among other issues (including Brexit).  Enjoy! 

Episode Notes: 

1. Special Guest: Rosie Burbidge : Author of European Fashion Law: A Practical Guide from Start Up to Global Success and she is a partner at the law firm www.gunnercooke.com

 2. Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. v. Haute Diggity Dog, LLC, 507 F.3d 252

3. Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. v. My Other Bag, Inc., 1:2014-cv-03419