NEW YORK — Diane von Furstenberg Studio and Diane von Furstenberg Studio L.P. filed a lawsuit against Joanna Ha, who does business as dvfdresses, safeisbest, nypad, New York Pillows and Drapes and joannaha.com, and other unnamed defendants for alleged trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting.
Ha allegedly sold counterfeit wrap dresses bearing the DVF trademarks online through eBay and other Web sites, according to court papers. The defendants did not return a call for comment.
The complaint, which was filed on Feb. 16 in Manhattan Federal Court, alleged that the defendants’ use of the DVF trademark and name on alleged counterfeit goods “caused consumer confusion and deceived customers into thinking they were buying DVF products when they were not.”
Other claims listed in the complaint included unfair competition, false designation of origin and trademark dilution. DVF Studio asked the court for a permanent injunction against the defendants prohibiting them from using the company’s trademarks on goods and from selling products not authorized by DVF.
In addition, the designer company asked for $1 million in statutory damages per counterfeited mark, plus actual damages and punitive damages for the defendants’ “malicious and intentional infringement and to deter similar misconduct by defendants and others.”