The most interesting reading in the June 17 Women’s Wear Daily? The full-page ad on page 12. Entitled “A Request to Fashion Editors, Advertisers, Copywriters and Others Regarding Misuse of the CHANEL name,” the advertisement goes on to state that the term CHANEL should not be used to describe anything other than CHANEL.
“Although our style is justly famous,” the ad modestly declares, “a jacket is not ‘a CHANEL’ jacket unless it is ours.'” In other words, lay off the CHANEL moniker to describe other folks’ clothing. Sometimes a banana is NOT a banana, Anna.
The ad finishes up by stating that “our lawyers insist our trademark is fully respected,” so don’t use the term to describe anything else than the real deal–no Chanel-like, no Chanel-style, no Chanel-ified, and so forth. Trotting out the lawyers brings along the specters of law suits, should fashion editors, advertisers, copywriters, and others continue to misuse the name.
So, I guess we are not to compare anything to [Name of Label] anymore. If it’s not the real deal, ix-nay on the ANEL-CHay. Is this just the start of others standing up for the complete integrity of their labels? And–what would Coco do?
Doris' Closet Consignment 