Battle of the Gs: Gucci Wins Trademark Suit Against Guess

The battle of the Gs is over. As noted in our previous post, Gucci went up against Guess over the following four designs:

• The green-red-green stripe
• A stylized "Square G"
• A group of four interlocking "G"s known as "Quattro G"
• A script logo

The U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin awarded Gucci $4.66 million dollars in damages and a permanent injunction against Guess' use of the first three of the four challenged designs. While the luxury brand was originally asking for $120 million in damages, Judge Scheindlin stated that Gucci was NOT entitled to damages reflecting lost sales or harm to its brand, but rather was entitled to damages that reflect the profits Guess made from the specific items where Gucci trademarks were infringed. Gucci may not have received the amount they were looking for, but this win sends a message to other retailers to be mindful of the designs and logos they want to incorporate into their designs.