Louboutin brushes off French court defeat

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Louboutin brushes off French court defeat

A recent adverse decision in France does not mean it has lost the rights to its famous red-sole trademark, Christian Louboutin claimed this week

In a statement sent to Managing IP, the shoe company said: “We would like to clarify that what has been disputed and canceled is only one French registration of said Red sole Trademark.”

It added: “Christian Louboutin continues to own valid and enforceable trademark rights in its Red Sole Trademark, including in France itself as well as throughout the world. A number of court decisions have recognized the strong association between Christian Louboutin and the Red Sole Trademark, including in France.”

The Fashionista blog reported this week that a French court had rejected Louboutin’s claim brought against high street retailer Zara, and also ordered the French fashion company to pay €2,500 in compensation.

The blog added that the judge has yet to rule on the validity of the red sole trade mark.

When contacted by Managing IP, Zara said it would not comment on the case.

Louboutin is also in a dispute with Yves Saint Laurent in the United State over its red sole mark.

In its statement, the company said it will continue to protect and enforce its rights in the red sole trade mark, which had been its “iconic signature” for 20 years.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

IP STARS, Managing IP’s accreditation title, reveals this year’s first rankings, showing how firms in Asia-Pacific are performing across a range of practice areas
A dispute over buggies, a decision on the UPC’s jurisdiction, and the formal launch of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre were among the top developments
Sofie McPherson says she is excited to work at a firm that offers an integrated approach between attorneys and litigators
Personality rights are among several measures the government must take to maximise the potential of the music licensing market, say lawyers
Pascal Faure, director general of INPI, explains why keeping a cool head is key, and discusses plans to leverage IP assets to secure funding
Lawyers at Carpmaels & Ransford explain how the healthcare sector has not simply participated in the UPC’s early years, but actively shaped it
The firm has hired former in-house counsel Quintin Cassady to lead the launch of the new office
The combined firm has strong IP credentials across the US, Middle East, UK and Europe, despite Taylor Wessing’s German and French practices not joining
Priya Nagpal, who this month became the firm’s eighth IP partner, says its cross-practice expertise in areas closely linked to IP was a key draw
Harm van der Heijden is to join Ankar as head of patent innovation after 17 years in private practice
Gift this article