Gucci is stepping up its anti-counterfeit efforts by taking legal action against three US retailers: Sam’s Club, Century 21 and Lord & Taylor.
The lawsuits, filed by Gucci’s U.S. division in federal court in Manhattan, accuse these retailers of engaging in the illegal sale of counterfeit Gucci products. The luxury brand underlines its commitment to protecting customers from the sale of counterfeits and emphasizes that the legal action was preceded by a comprehensive investigation.
In the lawsuit against Lord & Taylor, Gucci highlights its significant advertising investments to promote the brand in the United States, underscoring the importance of the market. Gucci is seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages, citing trademark infringement and unfair competition by retailers. The lawsuit also calls for the release and possible destruction of counterfeit items.
Gucci’s investigations involved purchases made on the retailers’ websites, which revealed the inauthenticity of the products. While Lord & Taylor remains silent on the matter, Sam’s Club admits it will remove the identified products and plans to resolve the complaint in court. Century 21 has not commented.
Gucci’s ongoing fight against counterfeits reflects the challenge faced by luxury brands dealing with unauthorized reproductions across various distribution channels. Gucci, a frequent target of counterfeits, has legally protected its iconic “green-red-green ribbon” and entered into collaborations, such as the one with Facebook in 2021, to protect its intellectual property.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.uk.