TWILIGHT TEARDOWN Nina Ricci Sues The Makers Of Twilight Fragrance

I can’t even imagine what it would be like if the fashion world followed the same rules as other industries, including fragrance. Imagine if no one BUT Chanel could make a little black dress? If Dior was still the only designer in the world allowed to send tailored New Looks down the runway?

In fashion it seems that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery: top looks from couture and ready-to-wear collections clone and morph as they trickle steadily down the retail line into basement bargain bins.

This is SO NOT the case in the fragrance department, where there is now another highly publicized incident regarding trademark and ownership. First it was Bono’s wife suing Stella McCartney, claiming she had sole rights to the word Nude. Then Beyonce was being banned by Abercrombie & Fitch from using the name Fierce for her fragrance, currently being created (using “Fierce” as part of her performing alias, Sasha Fierce).

This time though the trademark police have made a steady arrest; and the perpetrators have been caught red-handed (or rather, red-bottled). Hot Topics, the makers of the Twilight fragrance recently released in promotion of the vampire flick that seems to have everyone under 30 squealing with obsession (or is that just the fangs of peer pressure pressing in?) have blatantly copied the bottle design from Nina Ricci’s Nina perfume.

The bottle of Twilight is strikingly identical to Nina, which was launched in 2006—- two years before the movie and vampire buzz even surfaced. From the leafy stopper adornment to the apple shape of the bottle itself, these products are as hard to tell apart at first glance as any of Jon & Kate’s eight. Although the forbidden fruit idea might work with the Twilight theme, it’s an obvious rip off. In Twilight’s (slight, very slight) defence, that is where the similarities stop: the vampire jus smells like lavender and freesia, a far cry from Nina Ricci’s crisp gourmand floral with notes of lemon, lime, vanilla, peony, red toffee apple, praline, cedarwood and musk. This, however, will not save them from the wrath of Ms. Ricci’s team of lawyers.

What does this all prove? That vampires might be able to get away with murder, but not trademark infringement.

Kristen Stewart, who stars as Bella Swan in Twilight, wears Burberry Brit.

By Kiki D
Published November 6th, 2009 16:43

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