To what extent can it be said that a style has been copied? It is a problem that haunts (also) those involved in fashion or jewelry. Of course, it is difficult to prove that a gold chain is an exclusive design. But there are other shapes that become symbolic for a brand, such as the panther by Cartier, the five-lobed flower by Pasquale Bruni, or the Tiffany blue color. Can these iconic shapes be used? American jeweler David Yurman thinks not and has filed a lawsuit in New York City federal court against Canadian jewelry brand Mejuri. The accusation: having copied many of the jewels that characterize the American brand, violating intellectual property rights.
Davi Yurman, a Maison founded in the 1980s by David and Sybil Yurman, has established itself thanks to some jewels with the typical shape of a twisted spiral cable. Although, it must be added, that the same type of jewel has been used by others, for example, by brands such as the Swiss Charriol. David Yurman, however, accuses Mejuri of having reproduced without variations his jewels from the Pure Form and Sculpted Cable collections. In fact, David Yurman and Mejuri’s jewels are almost identical.
So basically, no one can accuse you of copying a pair of gold hoop earrings, but if they are in the shape of a braided cord you could be in trouble. Among other things, the lawsuits for counterfeiting in the world of jewelry are not new. David Yurman herself in recent years has obtained $ 1.5 million thanks to a lawsuit against companies that sold counterfeit jewelry on the web. Now, however, there is a question of style and incorrect behavior at stake. For example, David Yurman hired an influencer to wear his jewelry. And two weeks later Mejuri engaged the same influencer for a social media campaign.
Mejuri co-founded in 2015 by Noura Sakkijha. She was born and raised in Jordan, she immigrated to Canada at 23, where she earned an MBA in industrial engineering. In a few years you have built a company specializing in affordable jewelry. If the success is also to be attributed to a casual use of other people’s ideas, the judge will decide.
