Knockoff News 78
A weekly (or thereabouts) collection of news about counterfeits, fakes, knockoffs, replicas, imitations, and the culture of copying in general around the globe:
- Knockoff Oscars: 2008 Plagiarius awards announced
- No touch of mink: TTAB rules that "Mink" is misdescriptive for synthetic shoes
- One ring to rule them both: PA court rules c.z. engagement ring didn't invalidate prenup
- Brutta figura: Fakes, immigrant sweatshop labor cheapen "Made in Italy" label
- Italianate or ItaliaNOT:"Made in Italy" not what it seems
- Italian ICE: Guide instructs small business on basics of design protection
- Twice bitten: South African Crocs counterfeit decision upheld on appeal
- Quality goods: Lawyer debunks myth of shoddy Chinese fakes
- Pilgrimage: Mecca governor hosts first Arab Consumer Brand Protection Forum
- Busted: Weak laws limit effect of IP enforcement in Kuwait
- #1: Vuitton logo, designed to fight fakes, is world's most counterfeited brand
- Double helix: Developing a DNA test to ID counterfeit luxe cotton
- Heirs not apparent: Sons of British designer Ossie Clark sue to reclaim mark
- Drawn and quartered: 1 in 4 Brits have purchased fake fashion
- Typhoon season: Fake "fast moving consumer goods" flood India
- Joint venture: Japanese public/private partnership prods India on fake goods
- Design protector: Graphics conference headliner discusses brand security
- Echo chamber: Techdirt toes the party line against fashion copyright
- There oughtta be a law: Phillip Lim will need more than money to bring a copyright lawsuit against Forever 21
- New Year's resolution: Commerce Department resolves to strengthen IP protection
- Piling on: Miami Herald publishes more critiques of its Canal Street shopping tips
- Trading up: China anti-counterfeiting company receives NASDAQ listing approval
- All work and no play: How to avoid goods made with child labor
- Statement: Virginia Senate passes bill extending state trademark infringement law
- Osiris resurrected: Shopper experiences sneaker shock
- Guilty conscience: Company remits profits to designer whose graphic they copied
- Unfolding: 43(B) Blog spots wrinkles in Adidas v. Payless trade dress decision
- Trendspotting: How to identify knockoffs
- Snowstorm: Candy company takes on baby polar bear Flocke (HT: Markenblog)
- Gallery tour: The latest counterfeit photo exhibit from pMdM (Chaneel?!)
- Police report:
- Firefighter selling Superbowl fakes shot, killed in drive-by
- France fines young eBay fake importer
- Mix 'n' match: Fakes sold along with real sports memorabilia
- Counterfeit crack-down in Olanta, SC
- South Carolina repeat offender faces new 50K fine
- North Carolina police seek way to end fake business cycle
- Businessman confesses to selling fakes
- Fake clothes seized in Rochdale
- Convicted counterfeit seller gets suspended sentence
And finally, while Counterfeit Chic must confess to having seen almost none of this year's Academy Award-nominated films (did anyone go to the movies this year?), there's one winner that nevertheless must receive applause: The Counterfeiters, Austria's entry for Best Foreign Language Film. No clothes, just cash -- but name, after all, is destiny.
