Chanel Tells Editors Not To Use Name In Vain In Full Page Ad

Thou shalt not use the name of Chanel in vain, or so readers of fashion newspaper WWD learned on Monday. The fashion house took out a back-page ad reading:

"A note of information and entreaty to fashion editors, advertisers, copywriters and other well-intentioned mis-users of our Chanel name:

Chanel was a designer, an extraordinary woman who made a timeless contribution to fashion. Chanel is a perfume. Chanel is modern elegance in couture, ready-to-wear, accessories, watches and fine jewelry. Chanel is our registered trademark for fragrance, cosmetics, clothing, accessories and other lovely things. Although our style is justly famous, a jacket is not 'a Chanel jacket' unless it is ours, and somebody else's cardigans are not 'Chanel for now.' And even if we are flattered by such tributes to our fame as 'Chanel-issime, Chanel-ed, Chanels, and Chanel-ized', PLEASE DON'T. Our lawyers positively detest them. We take our trademark seriously.

Merci,

Chanel, Inc."

Fashionista.com was curious to find out more about employing the 'C' word and contacted intellectual property attorney Anne Sterba, who explained that Chanel or any other trademarked label cannot be used as an adjective. Anne told the style site, Chanel is "policing their brand. They have to do it, because if they end up in court with a trademark issue and they can't prove to a judge that they've been trying to protect their brand, they will lose credibility."

A simple Google search reveals that Chanel was on the prowl for name-droppers as far back as 2004 (and probably before), telling a website named CHANELOVE.com to transfer the domain name to Chanel and "agree not to register any domain name(s) in the future that incorporate the word CHANEL, or any similar word." Chanel, of course, is very protective of its logo, as well, sending cease and desists to big brands like DC shoes and suing small boutiques for trademark infringement.

Comments

[lechuzo]

03:32 PM on 09/24/2010

like it or not, the name is worth millions - and wouldn't you defend your bread and butter? or should they let their name appear on every website, T-shirt, and plastic handbag on the market, for free, so some leech can make a buck?

[nik101]

07:59 PM on 09/23/2010

They are lucky anyone even mentions Chanel in any context. I has become irrelevant on its own. Not by others abusing the brand name.

[Voting citizen]

04:41 PM on 09/22/2010

Has anyone noticed that Karl guy looks like walking dead? It could just be me but I'm wondering how they did that...make the dead walk and talk like that. He's rather narcissistic isn't he. Should someone tell him....naw its grand to live oblivious to ones true self.

[IsyFleur]

03:27 PM on 09/22/2010

Dear Karl Lagerfeld,
As Coco once said: "As long as you know men are like children, you know everything! "
So you can get over your temper tantrum now...
Sincerely,

[Samirah1368]

01:46 PM on 09/22/2010

On and since Karl has been on board it has been a slow decline anyway...

[Samirah1368]

01:43 PM on 09/22/2010

I love Chanel clothing but seriously, get the hell over yourself. I understand what they are saying but again get the hell over yourself...

[giraf]

12:57 PM on 09/22/2010

My favorite C... quote:
“Youth is something very new. Twenty years ago no one mentioned it.”
- Coco Chanel.

http://barbidoesmiami.wordpress.com/

[cookerman45]

11:36 AM on 09/22/2010

im not sorry i prefer women who do not smell like my mother.......CHANEL=YESTERDAY.

[michaleenflynn]

12:29 PM on 09/22/2010

They have several new scents as well as the old classics.

[Curtis inSF]

11:23 AM on 09/22/2010

Language is a funny thing. Success sometimes makes a "brand" synonymous with things outside of their realm. I know it frustrates people whose only interest in the world is profit, money, wealth, but thems the beans. I will continue to use the word Chanel to describe a silhouette, a style, an attitude and Karl Lagerfeld..well more importantly the corporate overlords that own Chanel can suck my...

[Samirah1368]

01:44 PM on 09/22/2010

Agree!

[crayola 08b]

10:40 AM on 09/22/2010

he looks like the ghost of michael jackson.

[DandaPanda]

10:38 AM on 09/22/2010

yes indeed. That is why I love Chanel.

[against-ignorance]

09:53 AM on 09/22/2010

You can't even have a web fan site with the name of what's being fanned? Wow. Copyright and trademark law become more laughably ridiculous with each passing day.

[Aerows]

09:19 AM on 09/22/2010

That has to be the classiest cease and desist letter I've ever read - apparently Chanel can even do that in style.   

[Curtis inSF]

11:23 AM on 09/22/2010

and yet they are still being jerks.

[michaleenflynn]

12:29 PM on 09/22/2010

Why?

[johnnygoodwud]

09:16 AM on 09/22/2010

you don't want to mess with karl,,,,,,,,,leave him in the bunker where he's quite content