In The News

About two weeks ago, we reported that eBay had lost a counterfeit case with Hermes. In that instance, eBay got away with being fined a mere 20,000 Euros. As a few of our readers pointed out to us today, eBay got a hefty slap on the wrist this time.

PARIS — A French court on Monday ordered the online auction giant eBay to pay 38.6 million euros, or $61 million, in damages to the French luxury goods company LVMH, in the latest round in a long-running legal battle over the sale of counterfeit goods on the Internet.

LVMH, a maker of high-end leather goods, perfumes and other fashion and luxury products, successfully challenged eBay for a second time in the French court, arguing that 90 percent of the Louis Vuitton bags and Dior perfumes sold on eBay are fakes.

The court ruled that eBay, which earns a commission on the sales, was not doing enough to stamp out counterfeit sales.

via New York Times

We can only hope that this ruling will aid in removing some of the fake junk off eBay. It is the buyer that would benefit most of it.

Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, has been the face of Gerard Darel since 2003. Gerard Darel bags have gained popularity year after year, and Charlotte Gainsbourg was the face toting the bags that we fell in love with. But a new face will be taking over Gerard Darel, that of Mamie Gummer, the daughter of Meryl Streep.

It looks as though Gainsbourg will be moving on to Balenciaga, her true love, and American Gummer will take over the brand as it continues to break into the US market.

OUI, MAMIE: Is Gérard Darel setting sail for the U.S.? The Parisian fashion brand has signed American actress Mamie Gummer as its new face, replacing iconic French singer and actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, who has represented the label since 2003. New York-based Gummer, the 24-year-old daughter of Meryl Streep and artist Don Gummer, will strike a chord with the brand’s Hollywood fans, who include Eva Longoria and Jessica Alba. Currently appearing in the Roundabout Theater’s production of “Les Liaison Dangereuses” on Broadway, Gummer has two films due out this year while her first Darel campaign, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in New York, breaks for fall.

Via WWD and image via NYSD

Video of Charlotte Gainsbourg for Gerard Darel after the jump...

Authentic Birkin vs Fake Birkin

eBay thought they were running the perfect platform, holding the buyer and seller responsible for deals not themselves. Problem is a French court ruled differently in favor of Hermes in an eBay counterfeit case. With this ruling, the online marketplace can slowly be changing before our faces. While this exact case only involves 20,000 euros ($31,439.30), there are many suits said to follow against eBay. This leaves you wondering what may happen to the eBay giant that has become a staple of our society? Of course there has to be rules, but should eBay be held responsible for every single transaction on their site? This should and will get interesting, we would love to hear your thoughts.

Read the entire article at Forbes.

Online auction house eBay is simply a host for transactions between buyers and sellers, not liable for any dodgy dealings that go on, right? Wrong.

On June 4, a French court ruled against eBay (nasdaq: EBAY – news – people ) in a case brought against it by French ultra-chic luxury retailer Hermès over the sale of three Hermès bags, including two fakes, for a total of 3,000 euros ($4,715.50). I

It’s not so much the size of the fine that’s likely to be keeping eBay executives awake at night: 20,000 euros ($31,439.30) is relatively small change for a company the market values at $38.5 billion. Rather, it’s the precedent that the ruling by the court in Troyes sets, as it could apply to cases that might cost eBay a lot more and force it to rethink its entire selling strategy.

Story developing on CNN. How very sad… Rest In Peace.

March 8th was International Women’s Day, of which Diane von Furstenberg is a huge supporter. In the spirit of this holiday, Diane von Furstenberg has launched a contest in which you can win a $5,000 DvF Shopping Spree, trip to New York City, and a chance to have a seat at the 2009 DvF Fashion Show. This prize package is absolutely amazing and it is simple to enter. All you have to do is write an essay about the women who inspire you. The contest runs through April 19th, 2008.

Description: Diane von Furstenberg believes in the transformative value of women’s participation in society. In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, DVF invites you to share the love with an inspirational story about a fabulous, strong, intelligent woman who has nurtured or inspired you. What woman has accentuated the spirit of camaraderie of women, mentored or encouraged you? Submit a photo with a detailed description or write a blog, with photos if you’d like, of a woman who has positively impacted your life. The winner will win a trip for them and a friend to NYC for a $5,000 shopping spree at Diane von Furstenberg’s flagship NYC store plus two tickets to the DVF Spring 2009 fashion show!

Read more and enter at Diane von Furstenberg Women You Love HERE!

There are only two days left to bid on the Celebrity signed The SAK Ashbury Shopper in Graffiti! Celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Cyndi Lauper, Taylor Swift, The Foo Fighters, Plain White T’s and Amy Lee have all signed these funky bags that are now up for auction. The auction ends on the 13th of March, so you have two days left to go bid for a great collectors item. Visit The SAK and check out the auction site HERE. Many of the bags have not been bid on high yet which means a major saving and awesome memorabilia for you, a loved one, or a great present!

Check out our first post for more information

Yesterday I brought you news of Louis Vuitton advertising on the big screen. Many of you were not over-joyed by the idea. Well now you can really give your opinion because we have the clip ready to watch. The advertisement is not even known to be Louis Vuitton until the end, keeping it simple and classic during the run. But some are saying it is boring, and if this is so, Louis Vuitton has lost your interest before they even show that it is their commercial. A special thanks to our very own art0fwar for putting the video up for us all to enjoy! Watch it and tell us what you think.

Louis Vuitton on screen

On February 15th, Louis Vuitton will venture into a new realm, one that it does not even know. Moving from print Ads, Louis Vuitton will debut on screen showing a travel-themed 90 second television and movie theater advertisement. This clip is not focused on the celebrities, rather on travel, to bring Louis Vuitton lovers together world-wide. The advertisement was shot in France, Spin, India and Japan. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, described the advertisement as “the first ever on-screen corporate campaign by a luxury house.”

I look forward to seeing one of the quintessential luxury houses on screen. What about you?

Article and picture via New York Times.

IN an unusual marketing move for a fashion and luxury goods brand, Louis Vuitton said Tuesday that it planned to advertise on television for the first time, with a travel-themed 90-second spot that was shot in France, Spain, India and Japan.

The campaign, which will start Feb. 15, will run on cable and satellite television channels and in movie theaters around the world, the company said. It shows ordinary people, rather than celebrities like Catherine Deneuve, Andre Agassi and Mikhail Gorbachev, who are featured in a current print campaign for the label.

Louis Vuitton, a unit of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, described the advertisement as “the first ever on-screen corporate campaign by a luxury house.”

High-end fashion brands and luxury goods companies have generally avoided television advertising, sticking mostly to magazines and, in some cases, newspapers.

Read the entire article below

Right off the bat I will tell you that this article may get many of you really worked up. The fact of the matter is that a writer from the Miami Herald took a trip to Chinatown while visiting NYC on a hunt for an array of fake bags for herself, family, and friends. Her writing style is witty and fun, but the message behind her article really is bothersome. Elaine Pasekoff, the author, gives a play by play of how she went about getting the fake handbags. What I find most disturbing is the blurb under the seemingly pointless “Illegal Business” titled “Homework”. The homework section entails a list of how-to’s for getting ready to buy a fake bag. The list is intense and ultimately, leads people to find better ways to support the illegal manufacturing and distributing of counterfeit handbags.

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Designers Be Inthavong and Steve Dumain started Be & D out of their kitchen in 2004. Now, the handbags and brand are widely recognized and carried in stores world wide and by an array of celebrities. Be & D has recently launched their website, where there is a bio, a shopping section, and an area to view the collections. Not only do they have their handbag collection, but also a new and amazing show collection and amazing belts. I am waiting to see what Be and Steve have for their Resort 2008 collection!

View the website at BeAndD.com