On May 19, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) unanimously voted to publish for public comment in the Federal Register proposed changes to the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (the Guides). The proposal makes a number of changes to the Guides, which were first enacted in 1980 and later updated
Fashion
Trademarks meet NFTs: Hermès sues NFT creator over MetaBirkins
As anticipated by those watching this space, Hermès filed a lawsuit in New York federal court against Mason Rothschild, an individual who created a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) called “MetaBirkins,” which depict fuzzy versions of the iconic Hermès Birkin bag. The complaint alleges that Rothschild advertises the MetaBirkins “using the Hermès Federally Registered Trademarks”…
2022 fashion trend: New York fashion legislation addressing environmental sustainability and social accountability
The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, a new New York Bill (the Bill), was introduced in October and was referred to a legislative committee on January 5, 2022. The goal of the Bill, which is sponsored by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Anna R. Kelles, various fashion and sustainability nonprofits, and designer Stella McCartney, is to effectively address the environmental and social impact of large fashion companies and make them more accountable. If passed, the Bill would require any apparel or footwear companies doing business in New York with more than $100 million in annual global revenues to map out at least 50 percent of their supply chains, demonstrate where in the supply chains the companies have the greatest social and environmental impact, and set targets to reduce those impacts. “Doing Business” is broadly defined in the bill as “actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit.”Continue Reading 2022 fashion trend: New York fashion legislation addressing environmental sustainability and social accountability
Are Virtual Branded Worlds the Future?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had immeasurable effects on consumers and how they engage with brands, with the elimination of in-person consumer interactions for nearly a year. As a result, some brands are taking consumers’ entrance into the metaverse one step further by developing virtual worlds that allow the consumer to engage with the brand in…
Louis Vuitton Loses Lawsuit Against Maker of Parody Tote Bags
Parody consumer-goods brands and fans of tongue-in-cheek humor have reason to be relieved after a federal court of appeals affirmed a grant of summary judgment against luxury handbag maker Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. (“Louis Vuitton”), dismissing its lawsuit against My Other Bag, Inc. (“MOB”), a seller of parody canvas tote bags. Louis Vuitton brought suit…
New NY Labor Laws in the Spotlight at Fashion Week
Mark S. Goldstein was recently interviewed for an article by Law360 regarding new Labor Law protections for child models. As we previously mentioned, on October 21, 2013, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law amendments to New York’s labor laws to specifically cover child models. The legislation protects runway and print models who are under the age of 18 in accordance with the same state labor laws that already protect other young entertainers. Mark told Law360 that, among other things, he hopes that the Department of Labor works with fashion industry insiders to maximize effective implementation and enforcement of the new law.
Continue Reading New NY Labor Laws in the Spotlight at Fashion Week