YSL Settles Ain't Laurent Parody T-shirt Lawsuit

Yves Saint Laurent has settled its trademark lawsuit with parody T-shirt company “What About Yves”. The case concerning the production of merchandise bearing the motto 'Ain't Laurent Without Yves' a nod in reaction to creative director Hedi Slimane's decision to drop “Yves” and rebrand the company as Saint Laurent - was according to court papers from the Southern District of New York - "voluntarily dismissed on January 12,” after a 3 year long legal battle.

YSL initially sued Jane Heller the founder of “What About Yves” back in July 2012. Asserting that the items were guilty of "trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false designation of origin, and unfair competition". But even with the lawsuit filed at Heller, she kept on selling the merchandise to retailers, including the Paris boutique Colette, a boutique which ironically Colette has been a stockist of the YSL brand since 1998, and which led to creative director Slimane severing ties with Colette - accusing them of selling counterfeit products that "seriously damaged" Saint Laurent as a brand. 

Jeanine Heller, the founder of "What About Yves," has now finally removed the Ain't Laurent pieces from her website. Last year, Chanel also settled a trademark infringement claim with Heller who designed a t-shirt displaying the Chanel brands interlocking double “C” trademark.