Balenciaga has been making some questionable decisions lately. The latest lapse in judgment appears to be found in one of their keychain collections. The fashion company is now getting sued for the design.
In what seems to be an attempt at originality, the brand came out with keyrings that bear an uncanny resemblance to Little Trees air fresheners, the kind of odor busters many people loop around their car's rear-view mirror. The company behind Little Trees is suing Balenciaga for the obvious overlap in design.
The plaintiff, Car-Freshner Corporation, claims the leather keychains being sold by the luxury brand are virtually identical to their signature product. Balenciaga's design even comes in a similar assortment of colors linked to Little Tree's most popular scents.
Legal documents point Little Trees' acquisition of the trademark in 1952. The concept gained popularity to the point of being licensed by heavy-hitting companies such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Discover Financial Services, Kia Motors and Capital One. According to the lawsuit, Balenciaga failed to even ask for permission to emulate the trademark before beginning to market and profit from the rip-offs.
The legal issue also lies the potential of costumer's confusing both brands. The plaintiff is asking Balenciaga to give them the profits generated from their keychains. For context, 1 pack of Little Trees fresheners is usually sold for approximately 3$ while the Balenciaga keyrings are priced at $275 each.