On Friday, noted jewelry designer David Yurman filed a lawsuit against up-and-coming e-tailer Mejuri, alleging that Mejuri copies “Yurman’s distinctive designs.”
The complaint, filed in Southern District of New York federal court, charges that Mejuri products such as its Croissant Dôme Cuff bracelet are derivative of Yurman’s Pure Form and Sculpted Cable collections.
Mejuri is a venture capital–backed startup based in Toronto that targets the female self-purchase market.
A Mejuri spokesperson tells JCK that Yurman’s allegations “are categorically false and are fundamentally at odds with what we stand for and who we are as a brand. At Mejuri, we strive for a culture that lifts up creators, prioritizes transparency, and empowers people and our community to proudly invest in themselves.”
The complaint said that Yurman spent more than $1.5 million marketing its Pure Form collection, which was introduced in 2016 and “features a number of unique variations on the classic cable design for which Yurman is known.” Eventual sales totaled more than $35 million. Yurman also spent over $5 million promoting the Sculpted Cable collection, which was introduced in 2003. Sales to date have surpassed $200 million, it said.
A Yurman statement said the alleged copying “cause[d] customer confusion and damage[d] the substantial goodwill that David Yurman has diligently built over four decades.”
The suit further charged that Mejuri is a “serial copycat,” and its other pieces ape designs from jewelers such as Boucheron and Lagos.
The suit even asserted that Mejuri has copied some of Yurman’s advertising, noting that they both have partnerships with Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand Goop, and Mejuri posted a picture of model Emily DiDonato wearing its pieces 11 days after Yurman did.
The legal papers charge dilution of Yurman trade dress and violations of New York’s business law. They seek unspecified damages, an injunction against Mejuri producing pieces that infringe on Yurman’s trade dress, and an order requiring that any infringing pieces be “melted down.”
“We celebrate the creativity of our peers in the industry who design their own jewelry, and we welcome competition from new and established designers alike,” said Evan Yurman, president of David Yurman, in a statement. “But we believe that competition should be fair, and unlawful copying is not good for the industry or its consumers, nor is it fair to our hardworking employees.”
The Mejuri spokesperson said: “We look forward to demonstrating that [Yurman’s] accusations are entirely without merit and believe that there is enough space in our industry for artists and jewelry designers to coexist and thrive together without baseless attacks on one another.”
Top: David Yurman gold jewelery (photo courtesy of David Yurman)
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