<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px;font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"times new roman",serif">I studied French for years in high school and college, so while </span></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"times new roman",serif;font-size:16px">I'm not fluent by any means, but I can get by.<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"> A</span></span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px;font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span class="gmail_default">nd I can't ever remember encountering the word "veuve." </span></span><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px">I could tell that it was </span><i style="font-family:"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px">a</i><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px"> French word, but I didn't know what it meant.<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"> For whatever that's worth.</span></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16px;font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><div><br clear="all"></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:tahoma;font-size:medium"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span style="font-size:16px"><font color="#000000">Cheers,</font></span></span></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:tahoma;font-size:medium"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span style="font-size:16px"> </span></span></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:tahoma;font-size:medium"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0);font-size:12pt">Sam<span> Castree, III</span></span></span></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:tahoma;font-size:medium"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0);font-size:12pt"><br></span></span></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:medium"><font face="times new roman, serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0);font-size:12pt"><span><i>Sam Castree Law, LLC</i></span></span></font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0)"><span><span style="font-size:12pt"><i>3421 W. Elm St.</i></span></span></span></font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0)"><span><span style="font-size:12pt"><i>McHenry, IL 60050</i></span></span></span></font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="times new roman, serif"><span style="color:rgb(255,102,0)"><span><span style="font-size:12pt"><i>(815) 344-6300</i></span></span></span></font></div></div></div></div></span><br></span></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 1:41\u202fPM Welch, John L. via E-trademarks <<a href="mailto:e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com">e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg-3406839453779401890">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The CAFC said this:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">\u201c[T]he word in question [VETEMENTS] is a simple and common word\u2014the word for clothing. On the other hand, \u201cwidow\u201d requires a more advanced vocabulary. This, therefore, distinguishes
this case from the aspect of <i>Palm Bay </i>that was premised on \u201can appreciable number of purchasers [being] unlikely to be aware that VEUVE means \u2018widow\u2019\u201d in French, and therefore \u201cunlikely to translate the marks into English.\u201d
<i>Palm Bay</i>, 396 F.3d at 1377 (emphasis omitted) (citation omitted).\u201d<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Do we have any French speakers out there? Is \u201cveuve\u201d an obscure word?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">PS:
<i>Palm Bay</i> was a likelihood of confusion case [not a genericness (or descriptiveness) case] in which the mark VEUVE ROYALE was found to be confusingly similar to VEUVE CLIQUOT for wine, but THE WIDOW was not confusingly similar, since consumers would not
translate VEUVE as WIDOW..<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">JLW<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(46,86,116)"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Garamond,serif">John L. Welch<span style="color:rgb(14,116,174)"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Senior Counsel</span></b><b><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(36,55,69)"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(36,55,69)">Admitted to Practice:</span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Massachusetts,
New York, and Washington, DC<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><a href="mailto:jwelch@WolfGreenfield.com" target="_blank">jwelch<span lang="FR-CA">@WolfGreenfield.com</span></a></span><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(14,116,174)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(36,55,69);text-transform:uppercase">Tel. 617.646.8285</span><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://thettablog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="64" height="18" style="width: 0.6666in; height: 0.1875in;" id="m_-3406839453779401890Picture_x0020_10" src="cid:ii_199353a7ebd6917eb2"></span></a><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Garamond,serif;color:rgb(14,116,174)">Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(36,55,69)">BOSTON | NEW YORK | WASHINGTON DC</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(36,55,69)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:4pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(14,116,174)"><a href="https://www.wolfgreenfield.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(14,116,174)">wolfgreenfield.com</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"FreightSans Pro Medium";color:rgb(14,116,174)">
</span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolf-greenfield/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="14" height="14" style="width: 0.1458in; height: 0.1458in;" id="m_-3406839453779401890Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:ii_199353a7ebd7745b43"></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"FreightSans Pro Medium";color:rgb(36,55,69)"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/wolfgreenfield" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="16" height="13" style="width: 0.1666in; height: 0.1354in;" id="m_-3406839453779401890Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:ii_199353a7ebd855d354"></span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"FreightSans Pro Medium"">
</span><span style="font-family:"FreightDisp Pro Semibold";color:rgb(14,116,174)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> E-trademarks <<a href="mailto:e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com" target="_blank">e-trademarks-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Jessica R. Friedman via E-trademarks<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, September 10, 2025 11:18 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> For trademark practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <<a href="mailto:e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com" target="_blank">e-trademarks@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Jessica R. Friedman <<a href="mailto:jrfriedman@litproplaw.com" target="_blank">jrfriedman@litproplaw.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [E-trademarks] VETEMENTS case going up to SCOTUS<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/world/europe/vetements-trademark-lawsuit.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/world/europe/vetements-trademark-lawsuit.html</a>
raises a few questions for me:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<li class="m_-3406839453779401890MsoListParagraph" style="color:rgb(10,47,65);margin-left:0in">
<span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif">The NY Times reporter analogizes the registration of VEUVE CLIQUOT, which means \u201cwidow cliquot\u201d and refers to the company matriarch, for champagne, to the registration of VETEMENTS, which in French means clothing,
for clothing. Is that an analogy the applicant has actually made, or is this just the usual ignorance of NY Times articles when it comes to IP?<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif">The PTO refused registration on the ground that the mark is merely descriptive and that it appears to be generic. How can it be both?
<u></u><u></u></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif">The applicant\u2019s response to the OA included the argument that \u201cvetements\u201d referred only to clothing as a category, while they are applying to register specific items of clothing:</span><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:windowtext">
\u201c</span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif">Although the word \u201cclothing\u201d may have a relationship to an overall category of products, it is not the descriptive (nor generic) term for any specific item. A purchaser would not say they want to \u201cbuy
a clothing.\u201d Further, when the mark VETEMENTS is encountered an observer would first have to undertake translation of the word, and then draw a relationship to a specific item such as a sweatshirt\u201d.
</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif">I understand that we have to try any and every credible argument, but that one doesn\u2019t strike me as falling into that category.
<i><u></u><u></u></i></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,51,102)">Jessica R. Friedman</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,51,102)">Attorney at Law</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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</span><u><span style="font-size:7pt;font-family:Verdana,sans-serif;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><a href="http://www.literarypropertylaw.com/" title="http://www.literarypropertylaw.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.literarypropertylaw.com</span></a></span></u><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(10,47,65)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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