Spanish footwear designer Manolo Blahnik announced the successful conclusion of an epic legal battle in China on Tuesday. “For the first time since 1999, Manolo Blahnik has the opportunity to use his name and offer his designs to customers across China,” the company said in a statement.
This was preceded by a two-decade legal dispute over trademark rights in China. The trigger was the step of a Chinese businessman who had registered the “Manolo & Blahnik” brand in the People’s Republic in 1999. Since the year 2000, the world-renowned shoe manufacturer has been trying to have what it considers “illegal” trademark registration reversed – and finally prevailed. China’s Supreme People’s Court ordered the competitor’s brand to be deleted, paving the way for Manolo Blahnik to enter the important luxury goods market.
“We are proud and grateful for the support we have received in China and internationally – in the fashion industry and beyond,” said Manolo Blahnik, the company’s founder and chief designer, in a statement. “This generous help was an important factor that contributed to this successful result.” Blahnik expressly thanked the Supreme People’s Court and stated that he “cannot wait to return and visit the beauty and elegance of China”.
The company also emphasized that the success in court is a “milestone” with trend-setting importance: The judgment could serve as a “strong precedent” for other companies in the industry to “enforce their rights against brand piracy in China”.