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Louis Vuitton sues Darfur fundraiser

  2. jhaber
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Louis Vuitton has filed charges against a 26-year-old student artist for selling posters and t-shirts of a Darfur victim, holding a designer bag inspired by a Louis Vuitton design. All of the profits had been going to charity but Louis Vuitton is still demanding massive damages.

The artist, Nadia Plesner, started a campaign to raise awareness of genocide in Darfur.

Not exactly a profile in courage for the French company with alleged ties to the Nazis.

Check out more at the associated link.
jhaber

21 responses // Louis Vuitton sues Darfur fundraiser

  • Damn! I'm emailing this to everyone I know! Where does Louis Vuitton get the selfishness to do this?
    alexandra_opny
  • Wow. Louis Vuitton the official designer and inspiration for the Douche bag.
    Ricky84
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here, here, and here
    I'm just going to be logical here...
    There are so many other approaches to political ads like this one. Don't get me wrong, I donate as much of myself to Darfur awareness and fundraisers -and I wouldn't be caught dead with a Louis Vuitton bag. But, I will say this was a very stupid move on this 26 year old.

    I have to admit though, the Paris Hilton dog is a nice touch. Haha
    DebbieWeiser
  • Prooving the fashion world has little sense of right and wrong.
    Purdey
  • Designers are dbags and always will be. This is the greatest example of greed that the world has ever known. (at least in the past week)
    mmcloone
  • LV completely heartless!!

    no tienen verguenza maldita sea!
    recommended by  Chique
    jade_azul16
  • LOUIS VUITTON WANTS ME
    TO STOP MY DARFUR CAMPAIGN

    In October last year I started my Simple Living campaign to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to raise money for the helping organization "Divest for Darfur".

    On February 13, 2008, I received a letter from Louis Vuitton’s main office in Paris, asking me firmly to end the campaign immediately, as they believe one of their products is being portrayed in the art piece.
    They refer to my website as ”Exhibit 1”.

    However, I stand up for my artistic freedom to express my view of the world as I see it without restrictions from anybody.

    On February 20, 2008, I informed Louis Vuitton’s Intellectual Property Director that I intend to continue my campaign to support the victims of Darfur.

    On April 15, 2008, I received a lawsuit from Louis Vuitton. I am now getting legal help from three lawyers.


    ok, Nadia, let's see if i get you, first, did LV politely
    ask you to stop the campaign, or did they just ask you to remove what they believe to be a portrayal of their product?
    (I believe that this detail makes a huge diference)

    You did not listen, then they pressed legal charges... um, how can i say this?

    duh!?
    jade_azul16
  • Well unfortunately for Louis Vuitton there is no copyright for designs. This is a known fact, which is why even though knock offs are illegal, they are only illegal if they have the actual name of the designer on them and are trying to be passed off as the real deal. Why do you think the hottest Oscar looks are copied by knockoff designers the next day. They can be made in the likeness, just don't copy it exactly or put the name of the designer you copied on it.


    And Mmcloone, I am a deisgner and the money I make from my deisgns mostly goes to raising awareness on various issues through grassroots organizations. I am not a douche bag, or at least I don't think I am. Just as there are greedy lawyers, designers, and other occupations commonly associated with the superficial, there are also charity workers who are corrupt, people who pretend to raise money for charities, but only throw parties, etc.

    I'd like to think I am going to be making a huge difference soon. Or I will die trying.
    Mafioso
  • The doggie is so cute, it reminds me of my Cookie.
    Mafioso
  • Good/Bad idea for this lady to do a campaign like this. I wish her luck in the case though.
    Ice_cream_Man
  • The value of a fashion brand isn't tangible - it's all down to association. It's not surprising that LV want to protect their assets, as the illustration above quite clearly portrays the brand in a negative light.

    Unless the designer has a particular bone to pick with this particular brand (i.e. they can be directly implicated in the Dafur genocide) , I think she's been very unthinking.
    lwhi
  • Doesn't make alot of sense.
    If they are so worried about being portrayed in a negative light they should not sue the Darfur fundraiser.
    Do not find the 26 year old did a stupid move ... corageous one indeed.
    varude
  • The whole thing reminds me of the stuff that was going on with Burberry a few years ago... I think they tried to use legal action on people who used their check pattern?

    I guess suing the designer is a stupid move - I suppose they're trying to use over-the-top scare tactics, in the same way the RIAA did (huge fines for people who download music). Maybe in both cases it's an act of desperation - the world's changing and these companies / organisations can't keep up.

    Maybe the designer should be able to use their image... but if so, why choose Louis Vuitton in particular?

    I suppose it's a shortcut; the bag's fairly universally recognisable (in western society at least) and it's synonymous with luxury and over-consumption. But then, so are Chanel bags etc..

    But then again maybe it's precisely because it's got this kind of iconic association, that representation of the bag should be allowed.

    I'm really not sure.
    lwhi
  • those posters are worth alot more now.
    austinyoung
  • http://www.nadiaplesner.com/Website/LouisVuittonLetter....
    Image...
    Just read the original letter LV sent the designer .. seems that she was originally giving a 30% donation to Dafur - in which case she was originally making a 70% profit off the back of the designs.
    lwhi
  • What's even dumber is that Louie is going to lose the case. That bag may look like a Louis Vuitton bag, but it isn't and it isn't even a real bag. It's a drawing of a purse that somewhat resembles a Louis Vuitton bag. They will lose. Someone there needs to read up on their copyright and trademark laws. Way to get bad press and get nothing in return, LV.
    jabutle3
  • This is great. Louis Vuitton is bringing much more publicity to the image than it probably would have gotten otherwise. The idea of destroying brand image through bad associations is one that can be very dangerous to corporations and the fact that the more they try to fight it the more publicity the image will get is, for the time being, one of the few times the good guy gets the luck. I'm sure they'll find a way to get major media to stop showing the image until the case is settled and everyone has lost interest. They're winners.
    shbhanda
  • Heh, heh, more art like this.
    CarlosIsDown
  • Why doesn't Louis Vuitton donate some money, well with all that hefty revenue he generates from those $15,000 bags, I mean, why even be angry? what a selfish, inconsiderate pr$%^$!!!!
    Mobius2012
  • I believe that Louis Vuitton could have gotten a lot more if they have gone the opposite way and try to support this campaign.
    A lot of companies that are doing this are selling tons. I think they do it both because they want to make awareness but they are dong too because it makes profit.
    Look how much the RED and the H&M campaigns sell.
    taniazapata
  • After reading this, I'm so ashamed that I ever had the desire to purchase a LV bag.
    I'm officially going to donate it to GoodWill.
    peacekthnx

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