Vetements Loses Battle to Trademark Brand Name in the US
According to a report from The Fashion Law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the decision made by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to refuse trademark registration for the brand name “Vetements.” The Swiss label, founded by Demna and Guram Gvasalia in 2014, has been in a years-long battle to secure a trademark for its name in the US.
The court’s decision stated that the term “vetements,” which is the French word for “clothing,” is generic when used for garments and retail services. This is due to the fact that French is a commonly spoken and taught language in the US, and the word directly describes the clothing goods and services offered by the brand.
Despite the brand’s popularity and significance in the fashion industry, the USPTO will not accept any further evidence to support the appeal. This decision may come as a surprise, given Vetements’ history of using satirical themes and playing off of recognizable logos and images in its collections.
The irony of this decision is not lost, as the brand’s former creative director Demna Gvasalia has faced controversy for copyright infringement during his tenure at Balenciaga. However, the brand’s artistic director Guram Gvasalia remains at the helm, and the label continues to make waves in the fashion world.
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