Designer brand icon Louis Vuitton expects to see its high-dollar collections of clothing and accessories showcased in the fashion houses of New York, Paris and Milan.
But at a San Antonio flea market? Not so much.
In a rare federal lawsuit trial that began Monday, the French company is taking on the operators of the Eisenhauer Market, owner Bruce L. Gore and manager Pat Walker, alleging that they contributed to trademark infringement by allowing vendors to sell knockoffs imitating the brand.
Louis Vuitton sued last year and is seeking $2 million for each of the nine marks it says were infringed, for a total of $18 million. This, the defendant's lawyer argues, from a market that has been in existence since 1979 and charges vendors about $200 to $250 a month for one of its more than 250 spaces.
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