Loro Piana wins injunction against Parijan in White Sole "dupe" case

LVMH-owned luxury lifestyle brand Loro Piana has added yet another win to its ongoing efforts to defend its signature White Sole footwear range.

In a preliminary ruling issued on May 12 but only recently made public, the Court of Turin ordered French e-tailer Parijan SAS to stop producing and selling footwear judged to be a copy or dupe of Loro Piana's 'Summer Walk' and 'Open Walk' designs, which date back to 2003 and 2005. The ruling names four Parijan styles, among them 'Monaco Old Money' and 'Old Money Premium Suede Loafers,' and additionally prohibits the online retailer from making any commercial use of the Loro Piana and White Sole names.

In his ruling, Judge Ludovico Sburlati concluded that Parijan's shoes did not just draw inspiration from Loro Piana's White Sole line, but copied the entire design formula: the pale rubber sole set against a suede upper, the soft, unstructured shape, the faux welt, matching-color stitching and the signature ridged outsole. Together, the court noted, these elements define the collection's identity. Rather than looking at each design aspect of the shoes separately, the court considered how all the features work together as a whole, noting that the complete look of a product can serve to identify its maker in the same way a logo does.

While Parijan had argued that its shoes differed in construction and quality, the court was not persuaded, adding that shoppers browsing online rarely look for or register these types of distinctions, instead making purchasing decisions based on how a product looks and its price. On that basis, the judge found that shoppers would look to Parijan's designs as cheaper dupes for the originals, which in turn would allow the e-tailer to monetize a line and reputation built by the luxury brand.

The ruling also raised issues with Parijan's promotional and marketing tactics, noting how it partnered with influencers connected to Loro Piana, like Gstaad Guy, which reinforces the impression that its footwear was positioned as a lower-priced alternative. The Court of Turin ordered Parijan to pay 1,000 euros for every day it fails to comply with the order, plus 500 euros for each item sold in breach of the injunction. The etailer must also reimburse Loro Piana for the costs of the legal proceedings.

The ruling builds on Loro Piana's success streak since it first began taking legal action to protect its White Sole line in 2022, with earlier victories in Turin and in Bari against Mnswr Group. It also signals that European courts are increasingly prepared to protect a product's overall appearance, a significant precedent for luxury brands as the dupe market continues to grow.