A Clay County woman is being sued by Michael Kors, the world-famous luxury designer.
The 13-page lawsuit claims Crystal Hampton is selling copycat handbags on her website, The Treasured Hippie.
Michael Kors said Hampton is capitalizing off its trademark “MK” block letter logo and creates a likelihood of “consumer confusion” and is “damaging” to the designer’s reputation.
The complaint included a picture of a handbag with a “WK” logo allegedly being sold by Hampton.
Action News Jax stopped by Hampton’s Green Cove Springs neighborhood.
At first, Hampton denied knowing the Michael Kors brand. She said she had no idea about the lawsuit.
A local woman is being sued by Michael Kors, the world-famous upscale designer. The reason for the lawsuit and the woman's response, at 10/11 on CBS47/FOX30 @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/riRStZ1F2K
— Christy Turner (@ChristyANJax) February 23, 2019
“I don’t know why I’m listed in a lawsuit with Michael Kors,” Hampton said. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Action News Jax spoke with Jo-Anne Yau, a registered trademark attorney who handles similar cases. She said trademark law comes down to whether one item is confusingly similar to another.
“If we just take a trademark or a logo and we flip it upside down, under trademark laws that will still be considered a confusingly similar use of that trademark,” Yau said.
She said Hampton could have to pay Michael Kors back for any profit she’s made on the products.
“If someone is trading on the goodwill associated with somebody else’s trademark then really they are making money off of somebody else’s goodwill and all that money should go back to the original goodwill owner or the original trademark owner,” Yau said.
The lawsuit calls for a jury trial.
Cox Media Group
