Judge rules parody Louis Vuitton bags don't infringe designer's copyright

[GradyPhilpott]

Court of Appeals rules against Louis Vuitton in copyright suit.

“’A parody must convey two simultaneous — and contradictory — messages: that it is the original, but also that it is not the original and is instead a parody.’ MOB bags do just that,” the court said.

“At the same time they mimic LV's designs and handbags in a way that is recognizable, they do so as a drawing on a product that is such a conscious departure from LV's image of luxury — in combination with the slogan ‘My Other Bag’ —as to convey the image that MOB tote bags are NOT LV handbags,” the judges said.

“The fact that the joke on LV's luxury image is gentle, and possibly even complimentary to LV, does not preclude it from being a parody... Indeed, a parody of LV’s luxury image is the very point of MOB's plebeian product.”

The judges said the lower court was right to toss the case.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.2920498