Judge in Louboutin v. YSL Case: “Nice Shoes” but No Decision Yet

In the case of Christian Louboutin vs. Yves Saint Laurent -- Louboutin, the plaintiff, is suing for trademark infringement over a pair of YSL heels with a red sole Louboutin claims is strikingly similar to its signature shade -- the arguments continued during Friday's hearing to determine whether an injunction would be granted prohibiting YSL from selling said heels while the case is being argued.

WWD is reporting that the judge in the case has asked for more time to make a decision, but not before dropping a clever turn of phrase -- "nice shoes" -- as he breezed past the red-soled pumps in question, as well as various other pieces of footwear evidence.

The delay only seems to be heating up the deadlock between lawyers for YSL and Louboutin, who have persisted in their respective arguments: According to the report, YSL attorney David Bernstein cited such red-soled Louboutin precursors as King Louis XIV of France and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz; Meanwhile Harley Lewin, representing Christian Louboutin, gave an impassioned plea for an injunction to avoid "irreparable harm" to the brand by potential copycats.

In the battle of the legendary high-fashion houses, another haute stick was thrown into the spokes when Giancarlo Giammetti, the longtime business partner to Valentino Garavani, brought up a solid point: Staking Valentino's claim on red, Giammetti pointed out to WWD the irony of the feud, given that his partner -- also famous for his use of the color red -- had made red-soled shoes as early as 1969, and as recently as 1983, more than twenty years before Louboutin filed his trademark.

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