GUESS BY MARCIANO LAUNCHES ORGANIC COTTON JEANS AND TOPS

Famous for its cutting edge fashion denim-wear and unforgettable advertising campaigns, GUESS by Marciano, will be introducing the GUESS GREEN program with offerings of organic cotton garments for men and women. Starting in April of 2008, the environmentally conscientious consumer can reduce their own Carbon Footprint through the power of shopping at GUESS stores.
In collaboration with the Environmental Media Association, GUESS by Marciano’s green garments will be labeled as “GUESS GREEN”. Organic cotton will be used in select men’s and women’s styles consisting of such garments as jeans, tee-shirts and tank tops. GUESS GREEN products will launch in April 2008 exclusively at select GUESS North American retail locations and at www.GUESS.com. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of GUESS GREEN denim will go towards the Environmental Media Association (EMA), which mobilizes the entertainment industry in a global effort to educate people about environmental issues and inspire them into action.

GUESS by Marciano has long been an advocate and supporter of environmental issues. The EMA is thrilled that they’re taking this important step to incorporate these values into their wildly popular fashions,” states Debbie Levin, EMA President. “GUESS GREEN will offer the opportunity for their already loyal fan base to understand that green and fashion are not mutually exclusive and give the already environmentally conscious a fashionable alternative. We’re so proud to partner on this important direction.”

Who ever knew??...

Back in 1997 Guess? was criticised for its use of clothings made in sweatshops. Billboards subsequently appeared in Las Vegas and New York featuring a photograph of Rage Against the Machine (an American rock band from L.A.) with the caption "Rage Against Sweatshops: We Don't Wear Guess? – A Message from Rage Against The Machine and Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE).

Coach Sues Target Over Copycat Bags....

Coach and Target are at it again. In 2006 the luxury handbag brand took on the retailer over designs that looked similar to their offerings and that case ended in a private settlement. Now Coach is ready to step back into court with Target over a fresh set of designs that look just a little too close to their own much-more-expensive offerings. Coach filed a complaint last week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. At issue are Coach's Ergo bags and the Signature Patchwork bags similar to the one shown at right. Coach says that starting this summer Target began to sell knockoffs of these bags.The craze for the handbags has lead to a rapid uptick in a lookalikes in the past few years.

Once a popular style hits the mainstream it is rapidly copied. While out-and-out counterfeits are illegal and relatively easy to identify the business of similarity is far muddier. Earlier this year Gucci took on Guess? Inc. (as mentioned in the earliers blog) for trademark infringement saying that the company's use of the "g" logo and interlocking G pattens were too similar and damaging to the Gucci brand. Both Coach and Gucci are seeking similar resolution in the form of damages, attorneys fees and injunctions against selling the similar designs.

G Is For? Gucci Sues Guess....

Guess has created handbags that ape the looks of designer bags for far less money for years but Gucci has had enough. Bloomberg reports that Gucci Group's U.S. unit is suing Guess? Inc. for trademark infringement. The companies both make ample use of the "g" logo and both do interlocking G pattens and embossed leather (or in Guess's case, vinyl).

Gucci's lawsuit claims that the knockoffs are no homage but are instead "part of a sophisticated and elaborate scheme to target Gucci, to create products that are similar in appearance to the most popular and best-known Gucci products." Gucci is seeking damages as well as a court order banning Guess from using the disputed designs and calling for surrender of all the existing bags in question.Copying has become commonplace in the fashion world especially when a lower-priced line imitates a more expensive brand. It becomes a question of just how similar the designs are and whether or not the lookalike handbags and wallets are damaging the Gucci brand.

www.luxist.com

Coach Board Directors

Coach Headquarters, are located in New York at 516 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Members include:

Executive Officers
Lew Frankfort
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Reed Krakoff
President, Executive Creative Director

Jerry Stritzke
President and Chief Operating Officer

Michael Tucci
President, Retail Division - North America

Michael F. Devine, III
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Todd Kahn
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Sarah Dunn
Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Guess Board of Directors

GUESS' corporate headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California. GUESS also has showroom locations in New York City, Dallas, and Atlanta.

GUESS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MAURICE MARCIANO
Chairman of the Board

PAUL MARCIANO
Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

CARLOS ALBERINI
President and Chief Operating Officer

ANTHONY CHIDONI
Director

KAY ISSACSON-LEIBOWITZ
Director

ALICE KANE
Chair and Managing Director, Q-Cubed Alternative Advisor LLC

KAREN NEUBURGER
Chief Lifestyle Officer, KN Ltd.

ALEX YEMENIDJIAN
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Armenco Holdings LLC

CORPORATE OFFICERS

MAURICE MARCIANO
Chairman of the Board

PAUL MARCIANO
Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

CARLOS ALBERINI
President and Chief Operating Officer

DEBORAH SIEGEL
Secretary

Guess Fashion Show 2009