us.christianlouboutin.com/us_en
Ladies, when you see heels with red soles, what brand comes to mind?
Christian Louboutin is a French high fashion footwear and accessory designer, who was inspired by his assistant’s red nail polish and used the polish to paint the sole of his stilettos. Since the 1990’s, people from all the world have recognized this iconic statement. For brand protection, Louboutin had the red-soled heel registered as a trademark in the United States, China, Australia, and Russia. Last year, he tried protecting the red sole in Switzerland, but the final appeal by Louboutin got turned down last month. The judge found the red soles are a decoration and not a brand, and made it ineligible to register as a trademark.
Other companies have tried producing red-soled heels. In 2011, Yves Saint-Laurent (YSL) sold shoes that were completely red, including the sole. Louboutin claimed copyright infringement, and after a yearlong court battle, his claim was denied. YSL was still able to produce shoes with red soles, as long as the entire shoe was red.
With his shoes starting at $600 a pair, it seems like Louboutin had the right idea in registering the red sole as a trademark, since others are replicating his signature look!
#OwnYourMark #MakeYourMark
Written by: Teresa Nguyen