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Peddling rip-off scents

Posted by Robin on 23 November 2020 7 Comments

Just last year, Gucci – along with a number of other well-known luxury perfume makers – scored a similar victory after using the same technique against Spanish company Equivalenza. The ironically named outfit, which was peddling rip-off scents, was found guilty on all three counts; illegal copying of original perfume, unfair competition and business reputation abuse.

— Read more in Perfume makers are fighting back against an illegal fake scent boom at Wired.

Filed Under: perfume in the news
Tagged With: copyright, gucci, lawsuit

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7 Comments

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  1. Dilana says:
    23 November 2020 at 1:23 pm

    Interesting article. It is not clear when the prestige brand has a claim. Obviously, if someone places a top note in a similar colored box with the same name, that is a forgery and a trademark violation. What is less clear is whether a company that sells a product which is labelled “like {famous perfume]” or “Our version of {famous perfume} has a claim, since the consumer knows he/she is not buying the actual product.

    Another issue is that a hit fragrance will inspire hundreds of other brand versions with minor tweaks. Alien, for instance, had so many followers that it mtilight as well as be a fragrance family. (Indeed, Chypre, Fougere actually started out as actual specific fragrances). Remember the first rose out? I don’t but someone here undoubtedly can identify it. Now, every brand has at least one rose oud line. MFK and Lancome have mini-lines of them.
    Still further complicating the issue is that many of the notes are developed and manufactured by companies that deal with many brands.

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    • Robin says:
      23 November 2020 at 6:07 pm

      My read of the articles is that riffs on other fragrances appear to be legally just fine. Machine copies, not fine, even if it’s clear it’s not the original.

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  2. Kelly Red says:
    23 November 2020 at 7:01 pm

    So can I sue them when I buy a perfume they’ve secretly reformulated and now smells nothing like I expected? Asking for a friend.

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    • cazaubon says:
      23 November 2020 at 9:10 pm

      LOL – this!!!

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    • Robin says:
      23 November 2020 at 11:43 pm

      Seriously.

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    • Oakland Fresca says:
      24 November 2020 at 11:27 am

      Hunting for my “thumbs up” emoji!

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  3. Merlin says:
    24 November 2020 at 9:05 am

    Brands of luxury clothing and bags already produce their own knock-offs (lower quality budget versions of their full-priced products) for ‘factory shops’ so I’m wondering when cosmetic/perfume brands will start doing the same.

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