(ECNS) — The Beijing Intellectual Property Court is scheduled to hear a trademark-related administrative case Thursday involving French luxury house Louis Vuitton and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), according to a public notice on the official court announcement platform.
Louis Vuitton filed the suit against CNIPA after the agency declined to uphold the company's opposition and invalidation petition against a trademark applied for by Huang Minyao, a garment business operator in Shantou, Guangdong Province.
Huang is listed as a third party in the case and is linked to two garment manufacturing companies whose business licenses have been revoked.
Public records show that after Huang applied to register the trademark, Louis Vuitton tried to block it through administrative procedures. CNIPA ruled against the brand's claims, prompting Louis Vuitton to challenge that decision in court.
The case comes as Louis Vuitton draws heavy attention on Chinese social media over a separate trademark suit against the Chinese tea chain Molly Tea, centered on the brand's signature four-petal floral pattern.
On July 2, the Suzhou Intermediate People's Court found that Molly Tea had infringed seven of Louis Vuitton's registered four-petal floral trademarks, ordering the tea brand to pay 10.3 million yuan ($1.52 million) in economic losses and legal costs. Molly Tea has said it will appeal, which keeps the verdict from taking effect for now.
(By Zhang Dongfang)
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