heller has filed a law suit against design within reach for trademark infringement for the bellini chair. (see linked article)
see images of bellini chair and image of "alonzo chair" , the knock-off.
DWR has no shame evidently.
read the legal documents here:
i love the internets !
http://www.schwimmerlegal.com/2009/03/heller_v_design.html
I wonder
I'm not defending their actions, in fact, I'm rather sad to see it happen. I'm am, however, objectively curious about how much water this will hold. I just looked at the DWR website entry for the "Alonzo" chair. They don't make any claim that the new chair is by Bellini nor did they keep the chair exactly the same in shape. To me this seems reminiscent of the lawsuit Emeco brought against Target a few years back.
In the Emeco case Target was producing a chair that was the same shape as the Navy chair. Target was forced to modify the chair design and to remove any trace of relationship between the two companies. It seems like DWR has preempted such action by modifying the chair design before releasing it. Am I missing something that would make this case different?
Pathetic
I guess there goes their tagline "THE source for licensed classics" or something like that. Sounds like they want to race to the bottom of cheap knock off furniture like Room and Board, instead of aspiring to be a great, unique brand. There are so many young designers out there they could get cheaper products from if that's their goal. Nothing wrong with making more money, but try having some dignity.
bellini chair
There was a manufacturing issue with the Bellini chair. The origin mold was changed about 2 summers ago which led to an inferior product. I personally know of a University who returned over 200 chairs because 3 legs touched the floor but the 4th leg didn't. DWR does not want to be cheap and sell knock offs. They just want a good product and unfortunately the original mold was not available for use. Thats my two cents
indefensible........
it seems like the prior post was rationalizing and justifying the actions of DWR making a counterfeit bellini chair. there is NEVER a good reason to knock something off EVER and if you do nock something off, you are WRONG every time.
go to DWR's website and type in "bellini" in the search field and see what happens. shameful.
its time for DWR to either sell, file chapter 11 or go away. this long drawn out demise is getting old.
wow, that's telling--
from the site: "A cutout on the back makes this lightweight chair easy to pick up and move..."
What an innovation! bellini's original, at a hefty 7.5 pounds, was surely fatally compromised by the lack of such a cutout; no doubt hapless purchasers were forced to leave bellini chairs precisely where the burly delivery men had deposited them upon arrival, leading to decorating frustration, social embarassment and other mishaps--thank goodness DWR has solved this terrible design flaw!
felt daschund anyone ??!!??
okay, that will be an eames lounge, an aalto vase, a noguchi stool.... oh, would you like a felt daschund with that ????
GOOD GRIEF !
http://www.dwr.com/product/sale/clearance/felt-daschund-basti.do?sortby=...
un-abashed......
just received an e-mail newsletter featuring the knock-off.
http://news.dwr.com/archive/9z1zjmvtk5v4jq8bsqu2o9ulcci2i18st5doi8llimg
interesting new web article about this case.....
"through the continuous promotion and sale of the Bellini Chair, the design has become associated with Heller as the sole manufacturer and thus it argues that the design of the chair has attained secondary meaning among the trade and public as being identified exclusively with Heller Incorporated. Because of this, Heller is concerned their reputation concerning the Bellini Chair may be at stake."
http://www.intellectulawblog.com/tp-070924072702/post-090325125704.shtml
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