The Paris court condemned the cosmetics group L’Occitane for “unfair and parasitic competition” and “copyright infringement” to the detriment of stylist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the use of his graphic universe (AFP / Archives / Marion Ruszniewski)
The Paris judicial court condemned the cosmetics group L’Occitane for “unfair and parasitic competition” and “copyright infringement” to the detriment of the stylist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the use of his graphic universe, made up of ‘cherubs and primary colors.
In a judgment rendered at the end of November by the third civil chamber of the Paris judicial court, competent in matters of intellectual property, L’Occitane Internationale and the companies PMJC and M&L Distribution were condemned for having marketed from Christmas 2018 an “L” line ‘Occitane X Castelbajac “, reproducing the graphic codes of the designer, now a stylist for Benetton.
The judges considered “the fact of suggesting that Mr. de Castelbajac would have agreed to be associated with the launch of these skincare products, which is not the case”. The court ordered the marketing of this line to stop.
Estimating the estimated loss of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac at 940,000 euros, the court jointly condemned L’Occitane, PMJC and M&L Distribution, to 60,000 euros in non-pecuniary damage and 100,000 euros in compensation for unfair and parasitic competition.
During the hearing, the companies being sued considered that Mr. de Castelbajac “could not arrogate to itself a monopoly on elements as common as hearts, eyes, stars”. They appealed against the judgment.
Asked Tuesday by AFP, L’Occitane did not respond.
French stylist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac on February 19, 2019 in Milan (AFP / Archives / Miguel MEDINA)
From his beginnings in the 1970s, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has distinguished himself with joyful and colorful creations, drawings of cherubs, stars, heraldic elements with his reference colors (red, yellow, blue) .
“What touches me is that my graphic work is recognized and protected by the courts,” M. de Castelbajac, current artistic director of the Benetton brand, told AFP.
© 2021 AFP
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