GiGi New York’s beef with Tommy Hilfiger over GiGi name continues

Oct. 26, 2016 5 AM PT

Over a month later and the folks at GiGi New York are still picking their bone with Tommy Hilfiger USA. A spokeswoman for GiGi New York said last month that lawyers for both sides were in discussions about Tommy Hilfiger adjusting its styling for the use of “Gigi” in its Tommy x Gigi Hadid capsule line.

The capsule — a Tommy Hilfiger and Gigi Hadid collaboration — was presented during New York Fashion Week aimed at the “see-now-buy-now” movement, and was immediately available for purchase after the show at different retail channels. The first salvo fired last month had GiGi New York seeking to have Tommy Hilfiger stop using the Gigi logo through a cease-and-desist letter.

Since then WWD has obtained a letter — the second volley — sent to Tommy Hilfiger executives from a GiGi New York consultant, Ted Kruckel, attempting to effect a dual track negotiation — one involving lawyers, and the other a “no lawyers” discussion — to resolve the matter amicably.

A spokeswoman for Tommy Hilfiger did not return either phone calls or e-mails requesting comment.

Kruckel’s letter said the third-generation handbag firm is asserting its “exclusive rights to the GiGi New York brand USA registered trademark in the categories of leather handbags, accessories and many more categories.”

The letter takes issue with the use of two capital “G”s even though Gigi Hadid only uses one capital “G” in her name; a GiGi imprint on the lining of certain handbags without the use of Tommy Hilfiger alongside it; the alleged purchase of Google ad words where the capsule appears as a paid search above the GiGi New York name, and the placement of “two giant GiGi billboards less than three blocks” from the GiGi New York flagship boutique.

Kruckel also wrote that GiGi, which represents Graphic Image, the brand’s owner, had trademarked its mark in the U.S. in 2012, with common law rights going back to 2010, and in the U.K. and Europe in 2013. Lawyers in Europe also sent their own cease-and-desist letter to Tommy Hilfiger executives regarding alleged infringement overseas, the letter said. The company said publicly last month that it “is positioned to defend its [marks] on both continents.”