What's considered fierce in fashion is turning out to be equally so in the courts.
After being sued for trademark infringement by Christian Louboutin, for what the shoe company claimed copied its crimson calling card, YSL has countered with a suit saying the trademark is fraudulent to begin with, the Telegraph reports.
In court papers filed in New York, the YSL suit brings in some historical big guns:
"Red outsoles are a commonly-used ornamental design feature in footwear, dating as far back as the red shoes worn by King Louis XIV in the 1600s and the ruby red shoes that carried Dorothy home in The Wizard of Oz."
Furthermore, YSL is making the argument that Louboutin had full knowledge of such fashion precendents when the brand seized the rights to the red sole and made statements such as "No one before me has ever used a coloured sole to define a brand's identity."
Louboutin is seeking $1 million in damages from YSL, and has also sought legal action against Brazilian brand Carmen Steffens for trademark infringement. Whether they can successfully stomp out the red-soled competition remains to be seen.
