Coach Gets $5.5M in Fakes Case Settlement
While anti-counterfeiting is a tireless fight for many brands, Coach Inc. scored a $5.5 million win last month by settling with the owner of a well-known Fort Lauderdale, Fla., flea market that was selling fake Coach goods.The news also comes at a time when designers and major brands are battling knockoff artists who are using 3-D printing and prototypes to try to fool designer-hungry shoppers. Compounding the problem is an upswing in “superfakes” defective designer goods taken from a factory or items that are made with some authentic materials. Another telltale sign of the superfake is the price tag, which can be $500 or $600, compared with a flea market special, which can sell for $30 to $40.
Hussein Chalayan Goes Cutting Edge for Vionnet
Count on Hussein Chalayan to bring a conceptual and architectural edge to couture week with his debut today at Vionnet, parading a demi-couture range that incorporates laser cutting and electrical wires. The evening-focused collection is to include bias-cut column dresses in multiple layers of organza, and futuristic gowns that exalt the patternmaking of couture with the markings on muslins embroidered by hand. His arrival at Vionnet coincides with a development push by chairwoman and creative director Goga Ashkenazi, who disclosed plans to establish a Paris hub for the heritage brand that would encompass a store and a mini-museum or library.
Tommy Hilfiger Sets Plans for NYFW
Tommy Hilfiger will be heading back to the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan to present his women’s runway collection on Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. There, Hilfiger will introduce the first runway show InstaMeet, inviting 20 local Instagrammers into the space to capture the show environment.He will also collaborate with two influential members of New York City’s Instagram community, Brian DiFeo (@bridif) and Anthony Danielle (@takinyerphoto), who will join Hilfiger on-site. The hashtag for the show is #tommyfall14, and for the InstaMeet is #nyfwinstameet.
Epicurious Launches New App
Epicurious, the Condé Nast-owned digital food brand, is launching a new app today in tandem with its second special-edition print publication. While the creation of an app is not exactly novel, this is an updated version of its 2009 app — it signals a larger shift for the digital brand. Although the site still relies on recipes, users will notice a flow of content that will be developed by editor in chief Nilou Motamed, who was poached in November from Travel + Leisure, where she served as features director and senior correspondent.
-Mehar Singh
Source and Photo: WWD
