Gucci's legal battle ITALY: Luxury fashion house Gucci has sued rival fashion label Guess alleging it copied a dress design and several trade marked logos. Gucci accused Guess of imitating trademarked designs, including a green and red stripe, a repeated interlocking GG mark and stylised G mark it emblazoned on accessories including handbags, belts, gloves, watches and glasses. Gucci also accused Guess of copying a dress featuring an interlocking GG diamond motif.
H&M store blitz SWEDEN: Fashion retail giant Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has announced it is on track to open 225 stores in the next financial year in defiance of the global slowdown. The brand told The Wall Street Journal that while the company had acquired several stores from bankrupt competitors it had "the resources and capacity to have 225 net openings, opening more [stores] than we are closing". Last year, the company opened 234 stores and closed 18. As of February, it had more than 1740 stores worldwide. The openings include new stores in China, the Middle East, Japan and South Korea.
Goot beaten SPAIN: Australian designer Josh Goot has failed in his bid to be named the winner of the second edition of the el Botón-Mango Fashion Awards. That honour went to South-Korean designer Lee Jean Youn. He received for his efforts €300,000 ($A53,000) in prize money in what is believed to be the largest sum offered to date in a competition of this kind. Judged by such luminaries as Nina Garcia, Director of Marie Claire US; Selfridges buyer Laura Larbalestier and American model Jerry Hall, the awards saw all finalists given €18,000 ($A32,000) and five months to create a collection of 10 outfits for the event. During the award ceremony the finalist's collections were presented on the catwalk followed by a lifetime achievement award presented to Oscar de la Renta.
Adidas changes afoot GERMANY: Sporting goods brand Adidas will axe its regional offices as part of a restructuring programme after the company posted a first quarter fall in profits of 97 per cent. The announcement means the group will no longer operate regional headquarters in Europe and Asia, focusing instead on strengthening interaction between the global organisation and the local markets. Although the company maintains its position that no forced lay offs will take place, German media reported that at least 1000 jobs are at stake at Adidas offices in Herzogenaurach and Hong Kong.
