Tony Duquette Files Infringement Suit Against Michael Kors
Los Angeles, CA January 27, 2009 -- Tony Duquette, Inc. (Tony Duquette, Inc.”), as holder of various intellectual property rights associated with the late designer and artist Tony Duquette (“Duquette”), yesterday filed suit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Michael Kors (USA), Inc. (“Kors”) for trademark infringement and other causes of action. Tony Duquette, Inc. alleges that Kors infringed the Duquette proprietary name and trademark by producing and marketing a Kors Resort Collection using the name Duquette.
The lawsuit alleges that Kors knowingly and willfully used the Tony Duquette mark in conjunction with a Kors clothing collection without permission or license. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges Kors used the Abrams book “Tony Duquette,” photographs, images and patterns from the book, and images of Duquette and his long time business associate and co-designer, Hutton Wilkinson, in advertising and promoting the Kors collection. Damages and injunctive relief are sought.
Hutton Wilkinson, President and Creative Director of Tony Duquette, Inc., from Paris at the Maison & Objet international tradeshow where he is unveiling his Tony Duquette for Jim Thompson Thai Silk Collection of textiles said “This lawsuit was filed with an aim toward protecting Tony Duquette's good name and ensuring that our valuable intellectual property and licenses around the world endure without harm.”
About Tony Duquette Inc.
Tony Duquette was an internationally renowned designer, artist, and arbiter of style whose work included designs for clients such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Elizabeth Arden. Duquette's works garnered awards and recognition around the world including a “Tony” Award for costume design for the original Broadway production of Camelot. In 1951, Tony Duquette became the first American in history to be honored with a one-man exhibition at the Louvre Museum. Tony Duquette, Inc. was established by Duquette during his lifetime in order to pursue various commercial enterprises arising out of Duquette's designs and creations, including jewelry, interiors, furniture, textiles, and art pieces. After Duquette's death in 1999, his business partner, Hutton Wilkinson, took the helm of Tony Duquette, Inc. and has continued to design, license, promote, and market the company's designs and products around the world to purveyors of high end luxury, fashion, jewelry, and home furnishings. The book “Tony Duquette” by Wendy Goodman and Hutton Wilkinson chronicling his life and works was published by Abrams Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in 2007 with a foreward by Dominick Dunne.
Tony Duquette, Inc. is represented in this action by the Law Offices of Charles Tolbert in New York and by Kimberly Donovan of GCA Law Partners in Mountain View, CA.
Media Contact: Sandra Graham
Phone: 212.758.6451.
email: grahamcomm@aol.com
The lawsuit alleges that Kors knowingly and willfully used the Tony Duquette mark in conjunction with a Kors clothing collection without permission or license. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges Kors used the Abrams book “Tony Duquette,” photographs, images and patterns from the book, and images of Duquette and his long time business associate and co-designer, Hutton Wilkinson, in advertising and promoting the Kors collection. Damages and injunctive relief are sought.
Hutton Wilkinson, President and Creative Director of Tony Duquette, Inc., from Paris at the Maison & Objet international tradeshow where he is unveiling his Tony Duquette for Jim Thompson Thai Silk Collection of textiles said “This lawsuit was filed with an aim toward protecting Tony Duquette's good name and ensuring that our valuable intellectual property and licenses around the world endure without harm.”
About Tony Duquette Inc.
Tony Duquette was an internationally renowned designer, artist, and arbiter of style whose work included designs for clients such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Elizabeth Arden. Duquette's works garnered awards and recognition around the world including a “Tony” Award for costume design for the original Broadway production of Camelot. In 1951, Tony Duquette became the first American in history to be honored with a one-man exhibition at the Louvre Museum. Tony Duquette, Inc. was established by Duquette during his lifetime in order to pursue various commercial enterprises arising out of Duquette's designs and creations, including jewelry, interiors, furniture, textiles, and art pieces. After Duquette's death in 1999, his business partner, Hutton Wilkinson, took the helm of Tony Duquette, Inc. and has continued to design, license, promote, and market the company's designs and products around the world to purveyors of high end luxury, fashion, jewelry, and home furnishings. The book “Tony Duquette” by Wendy Goodman and Hutton Wilkinson chronicling his life and works was published by Abrams Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in 2007 with a foreward by Dominick Dunne.
Tony Duquette, Inc. is represented in this action by the Law Offices of Charles Tolbert in New York and by Kimberly Donovan of GCA Law Partners in Mountain View, CA.
Media Contact: Sandra Graham
Phone: 212.758.6451.
email: grahamcomm@aol.com
