Stella Launches Copyright Lawsuit

Stella McCartney is reportedly suing Steve Madden for creating a "poorly made copy" of her signature Falabella bag.

"Long after [Stella McCartney's] Falabella collection of bags, with their distinctive trade dress, achieved prominence in the fashion industry, and after [Stella McCartney] obtained design patent protection for its design, [Steve Madden] began importing and selling a tote bag, that, although virtually identical in appearance to Plaintiff's design, is a poorly made copy," stated the legal papers, reports Daily Mail Online, which are said to have been filed with the district court in New York on Tuesday.

Steve Madden's BTotally bag, which features a similar gunmetal frame to Stella McCartney's Falabella range (the latter of which launched in 2009), retails for around £70 compared to the London-based brand's collection which ranges from £475 for a small tote to £,1230 for a larger fringed version. Lawyers for Stella McCartney are said to be seeking an injunction to prevent Steve Madden from continuing its sale of the bag as well as making a claim for unspecified damages.

Last year, Steve Madden was hit with a similar case by Balenciaga who claimed the fashion house's Btalia bag bore too close a resemblance to its signature Motorcycle bag.

Neither Stella McCartney or Steve Madden responded to requests for comment.