Louis Vuitton Sues Darfur Fundraiser for Copyright Infringement
Written by Ernesto on April 25, 2008The Paris based fashion house Louis Vuitton has filed charges against a 26 year old student artist for selling posters and t-shirts of a Darfur victim, holding a designer bag inspired by a Louis Vuitton design. All of the profits had been going to charity but Louis Vuitton is still demanding massive damages.
The artist, Nadia Plesner, started a campaign to raise awareness of genocide in Darfur, and raise money for the victims. All the profits she makes from selling the t-shirts and posters go directly to the “Divest for Darfur” organization to help the victims.
Nadia told TorrentFreak: “I started this campaign because of the distorted way the media prioritizes between big and small world news. How can Paris Hilton make more front covers than the genocide in Darfur? So, I “pimped” a victim, to see if it worked. And it did!”
Her campaign indeed generated a lot of attention, but not for the right reasons. For her “Simple Living” campaign, Nadia decided to dress-up a Darfur victim with a Louis Vuitton-inspired bag, and a Paris Hilton-style accessory dog. Louis Vuitton, however, was not amused by Nadia’s creative expression, and filed a lawsuit where they are claiming over $20,000 a day, if she continues with the project.
Nadia received her first letter from the Paris based retailer on February 22th. Vuitton kindly urged her to quit raising money for the good cause, arguing that it infringes their intellectual property rights. Nadia was surprised by the letter, and decided to send a reply in which she explained that she didn’t use the exact pattern of a Louis Vuitton bag, and that the drawing simply refers to designer bags in general.
“Sometimes recognizable objects are needed to express deeper meanings, and in their new form they become more than the objects themselves – they become art,” Nadia writes in her reply. “I therefore stand by my freedom of expression - artistic and/or otherwise - and will continue my Simple Living campaign in order to raise money for the victims of Darfur.”
Louis Vuitton did not warm to her “free speech” argument, and filed a lawsuit on April 15th. Nadia told us that Louis Vuitton now demands $7,500 (5,000 Euro) for each day she continues to sell Simple Life products, $7,500 for each day their letter is published on the website and $7,500 a day for using the name “Louis Vuitton” on her website. In addition they want her to pay their lawyer costs and $15,000 to cover other expenses they have incurred in protecting their ‘intellectual property’.
Initially, the whole issue seemed to be a misunderstanding, as it looked like Nadia was trying to make money from selling the tees and posters. “In January I wrote on my website regarding the campaign, that 30% of the profits are donated to Divest for Darfur. This is not correct. It is 30% of the PRICE which is 100% of the profits,” she explained to us. However, even when the information was corrected, Vuitton didn’t back off.
Intellectual Property expert and lawyer Hans Bousie, who offered to represent Nadia without charge, told TorrentFreak that Nadia could exercise her right to freedom of expression, and her right to artistic freedom in particular. That is, if the design clearly resembles the original design, otherwise Louis Vuitton wont have a strong case to begin with.
In our opinion, Vuitton is abusing the intellectual property argument. They simply do not want to be associated with genocide and the darker sides of the world. This strategy obviously backfired. We encourage everyone to buy a poster or tee, or at least spread the word about this campaign and Vuitton’s shocking response.
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good for you Nadia :D
what an asshole
This is unfair. I think people have the right to appropriate images from pop culture to use in art. Did we forget Pop Art in the 60s? Bottom line: The use of the bag should be classified as “fair use”.
(Though ideally, I’d like to see the whole copyright system abolished. It’s outdated.)
They probably think the starving kids looks as healthy as their anorectic models.
Unbelievable. He walked right into a Superman punch, Vuitton did. The whole point of her intended statement seems to be that the rich value their micro-society and EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR, over anything else. And that we as a greater society are complicit in our undying, fuel-the-fire fawn-fest over fat-minded rich assholes and their (a)pathetic paradigms. I hope she puts some rapper’s bling in a piece of her work. Nothing says society’s in serious decline like rappers frontin’ money and hos to our kids. When things like Darfur are existing. Will I be in trouble with the race police if I point out the irony of THAT?
A designer sues a charity project leader for using their name and “possibly” a picture, which is somehow similar to one of their products… how deep can someone sink to begin such a case…
Is EVERY part of the industry blind and only wants cash, even from people who want to enhance the world?
I’d never thought that such crazy people exist…
Digg this post everyone..
http://digg.com/tech_news/Louis_Vuitton_Sues_Darfur_Fundraiser_for_Copyright_Infringem
Another reason not to buy Vuitton.
well, most charities are goldmines. you know, many people donate, warmed up to the objectives and such..and this large amount of money are going to help the needy, poor and such like this genocide in darfur… and apparently, the rich dont want to share their resources and would like to get the money used for helping other people to fill up their greedy mouths.. hell, louis vuitton should pay royalty to the descendants of the inventor of the simple bag since his designer bags are based off that
I believe a campaign to protest Louis Vuitton and ask everyone not to support or purchase any of their products until this lawsuit is settled to the expressed agreement of Nadia and her lawyers.
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM LOUIS VUITTON!
I would buy a shirt in a heartbeat, but 70 bucks is a little much for me. (35 euro.. here in the US)
Oh and Digg it!
http://digg.com/tech_news/Louis_Vuitton_Sues_Darfur_Fundraiser_for_Copyright_Infringem
Slow news day?
What has this got to do with BITTORRENT or even P2P?
There are stupid cases brought like this all the time. It’s an admirable cause but not for TF.
Why don’t you do an article about GTA4 being leaked at torrent sites and R* reaction?
well, copyright infringement is linked to p2p or bittorrent, so i think they put this one up. besides, there are many categories to choose from in TF, like opinion, politics etc
[quote]$7,500 for each day their letter is published on the website[/quote]
WTf????? LOL Thats one stupid request! Who they think they are?
[quote comment="359375"]Slow news day?
What has this got to do with BITTORRENT or even P2P?
[/quote]
I agree, its an interesting story but…
[quote comment="359337"]Another reason not to buy Vuitton.[/quote]
Nah, just go down your local market and buy a Vuitton copy for 10% the real price.
[quote comment="359392"][quote comment="359375"]Slow news day?
What has this got to do with BITTORRENT or even P2P?
[/quote]
I agree, its an interesting story but…[/quote]
So what, site’s owner can’t publish whatever the f.. he wants because “iz not about p2p”??.. don’t like it, don’t read it.
[quote comment="359375"]Slow news day?
What has this got to do with BITTORRENT or even P2P?
[/quote]
You’re right, this has nothing to do with filesharing. But, the story has everything to do with copyright, we cover that as well ;)
I thought this was important enough…
GTA4 will come later… or will be covered by others. You’re welcome to join us if you want to write articles here :)
Had they not tried to sue her very little people would have even seen or purchased this tee or poster, now they have made her news, something that people are interested in, i wouldn’t be surpise if something like this appeared in a newspaper or two now. “Big Bad fashion designer sues darfur”
Louis vaton is such a faggot for doing this. They only care about their product image not the world. Go to hell bitches.
I put this on the LV wiki page and someone keeps deleting it entirely. Anyone know how this works with wiki, how does wiki prevent a company (probably) from removing stuff from it’s own page, oh and i wrote it completely unbiased.
Nevermind, apparently the nadia plesner’s site and torrent freak aren’t “reliable sources”
try link directly to the legal documents on the girls website as references.
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