Stella McCartney sues Steve Madden for selling a 'poorly-made knock-off' of the brand's $1,200 Falabella bag - for a TENTH of the price
- The 44-year-old British designer filed legal papers with the district court in New York earlier this week
- Stella, the daughter of Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney, claims that the US brand's BTotally bag is a copy of her own signature tote
British designer Stella McCartney is suing American footwear and accessories brand Steve Madden for marketing a 'knock-off' version of her iconic Falabella bag, for less than a tenth of the price.
Stella, 44, the daughter of Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney, filed a lawsuit against the popular US-based label earlier this week, in which she accuses Steve Madden of selling a 'poorly-made... knock-off of [her] famous Falabella Foldover Tote bag' in the form of its BTotally handbag, which retails for $108 - less than a tenth of the price of Stella's $1,195 tote.
'Long after [Stella McCartney's] Falabella collection of bags, with their distinctive trade dress, achieved prominence in the fashion industry, and after [Stella McCarntey] obtained design patent protection for its design, [Steve Madden] began importing and selling a tote bag, that, although virtually identical in appearance to Plaintiff’s design, is a poorly-made copy,' the legal papers, which were filed with the district court in New York on Tuesday and seen by Daily Mail Online, explain.
Taking action: British designer Stella McCartney is suing American brand Steve Madden for 'knocking off' her trademark Falabella tote bag. She is pictured in July with a clutch from the Falabella collection
Original: The Falabella Foldover Tote, which is the most popular design from the range, was first released in 2009. The most basic version of the bag retails for $1,195
'Poorly-made knock-off': Steve Madden's BTotally tote retails for $108, less than a tenth of the price of Stella's design
The suit goes on to state that Stella's Falabella range has received 'overwhelming media attention' since its launch, and that the collection has since become 'extremely popular' with a number of A-list celebrities, including Anne Hathaway, Kim Kardashian, Kate Hudson, Demi Lovato, Victoria Beckham, Fergie, and Jennifer Lopez.
Lawyers for the brand are seeking an injunction to prevent Steve Madden from continuing its sale of the BTotally bag - while also making a claim for unspecified damages.
Stella's first Falabella bag, which the lifelong vegetarian creates in a range of vegan materials, was first released in 2009, and the collection of chain-embellished accessories has continued to grow ever since.
The brand's website has an entire section devoted to the collection, with the fashion house describing the range as being 'defined by its slouchy silhouette and iconic braided chain strap', while adding that the design is a 'distinctive Stella McCartney signature'.
Celebrity favorite: Jennifer Garner can be seen carrying a Stella McCartney Falabella tote in this picture, taken in 2013
Must-have accessory: Jenna Dewan-Tatum, pictured left in 2013 with her actor husband Channing, is also a fan of the bag, as is Anne Hathaway, who is actually mentioned in the lawsuit
Today, the range includes a variety of different shapes and sizes, from purses to backpacks, as well as the original fold-over tote, and ranges in price from $290 for a small card holder to $2,185 for the Shaggy Deer Fringed Tote, a sky-high price in comparison with Steve Madden's $108 alternative.
The Steve Madden BTotally bag, which is sold on the brand's website in a variety of colors, bears remarkable similarities to the Stella McCartney design, with the same unique shape, distinctive chain handle, 'whip-stitching' and top snap closure.
However, despite the similarities in appearance, the lawsuit states that the quality of the Steve Madden 'knock-off' is 'poor' and that the sale of such a 'poorly-made' item that is so close in style to her own design could 'tarnish' her reputation with customers.
And, as the lawsuit points out, this is not the first time that Steve Madden has been accused of copying another label's designs.
Just last year, luxury brand Balenciaga filed a suit against the company, accusing it of making a 'studied copy' of its famous Motorbike bag.
At the time, Balenciaga sought an injunction that would forbid Steve Madden from selling the offending item, as well as monetary damages.
Court papers read: ‘The Defendant’s wholesale copying of Balenciaga’s designs is likely to deceive consumers into believing that the infringing [handbag] is associated with or authorized by Balenciaga when it is, in fact, not.’
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