Louis Vuitton Ordered To Pay Designer Nearly $1M For Reusing Logo Lock

Photo 195357069 © Andersastphoto | Dreamstime.com

Louis Vuitton has unlatched discourse for allegedly violating its contract with an independent designer, and it now owes her €900,000 (US$989,000), as ordered by a Parisian court.

Jocelyne Imbert designed the ‘LV tournant’, a clasp with a swiveling ‘LV’ monogram, for Louis Vuitton Malletier. The agreement was that if Louis Vuitton used the feature on new handbags, she’d be paid about €76,000 (US$83,510).

The collaboration, and by extension the dispute, goes decades back. Imbert designed the clasp in 1988, and she signed a contract with Louis Vuitton on the usage of the lock in 1992.

However, in 2014, the ‘LV tournant’ began appearing on the label’s new Twist products, the first of a number of lines, according to French newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné (via Vogue Business). Imbert reached out, and Louis Vuitton subsequently offered her a check for €79,853 (US$87,766), which she declined to take as she had uncovered the lock in another bag collection containing purses—she had only authorized the use of the clasp on handbags.

The swiveling logo lock would eventually be applied onto shoes, bracelets, belts, and other accessories.

The dispute was thrown out in 2020 but Imbert filed an appeal.

Louis Vuitton has not responded to enquiries about the case, but Le Canard Enchaîné hears that the label is looking to contest the claims. Regardless, Imbert’s lawyer Jean-Philippe Hugot tells Vogue Business that Louis Vuitton will still be required to fork out the €900,000 it owes her even if it escalates the matter in court.

[via Vogue Business, Fashion Network / AFP, Hypebeast, cover photo 195357069 © Andersastphoto | Dreamstime.com]