In dog toy suit, judge tells Louis Vuitton: Chew on this
In a, frankly, not-terribly-important trademark infringement ruling, French fashion designer Louis Vuitton has lost its bid to bar a company called Haute Diggity Dog from marketing monogrammed plush toys for canines under the label "Chewy Vuiton."

Although a federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia decided the case on November 3, I only just learned about it on Bill Patry's Copyright Blog.

Judge James Cacheris wrote that the similarities between the toy's design pattern--an array of four-pronged doo-dads and stylish emblems formed from an interlocking C and V--and Louis Vuitton's trademarked "Canvas Monogram Pattern" were the sorts of parallels that are essential to any parody, and were not likely to lead consumers to believe that the pet products were actually made by the famous luxury retailer.

Haute Diggity Dog also sells parodic stuffed toys under the names Chewnel #5, Sniffany & Co., Vera Wag (in the shape of a high-heeled shoe), and Furari (shaped like a sports car).

The hurdle Louis Vuitton's counsel could not seem to overcome in the case was a precedent set in 2002 when a Manhattan federal judge denied relief to merchandiser Tommy Hilfiger, which had tried to halt sales of a "pet perfume" called Timmy Holedigger. Lawyers will sometimes refer to a particularly apt precedent as being "on all fours with" the facts of their own case, but this must take the cake.
Posted by Roger Parloff 11:19 AM 7 Comments comment | Add a Comment

Timmy Holedigger. I love it!
Posted By Dave, Sacramento, CA : 12:37 PM  

Thanks for the smile. You have made my day. :)
Posted By cat1, Greenfield, Missouri : 12:52 PM  

hey i love this! made my day! love you Louis! lol
Posted By Orland CA. : 9:21 PM  

hysterical, absolutely hysterical!
Posted By Ben Hernandez, Orland Park, Illinois : 10:38 AM  

Ha Ha Ha. I personally think this is hilarious. You have men, women and children dying from starvation in other countries and even in our own. And you having companies, like Louis Vuitton, marketing to filthy rich morons who think their poop doesn't stink. Now I love capitalism and copyright laws (better than china) because you are free to do what you want (to an extent). However, i am tired of our superficial country and its businesses. In this country, we tend to believe that some dogs are cute and as a result treat animals better than humans, which i believe is wrong. I know a dog is man's best friend, but what about man himself. I hate Louis Vuitton and the like, marketing to rich ***holes who don't have soles.
Posted By Matt Cleveland, Ohio : 6:42 PM  

Hey Matt...humans ARE animals.
Posted By Anonymous : 3:11 PM  

I agree Matt! Way to go!!!
Posted By SusieSue, Coarsegold Cali : 5:50 PM  

Or feel free to send a letter to the editor about this story. Top of page

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This blog is about legal issues that matter to business people, and it's geared for nonlawyers and lawyers alike. Roger Parloff is Fortune magazine's senior editor (legal affairs). He practiced law for five years in Manhattan before becoming a full-time journalist. To join in the discussion or suggest topics, please email rparloff@fortunemail.com.

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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.