Fab Flash: Luxury Jeweler Sues Heidi Klum

December 27, 2007

Van Cleef and Arpels is suing supermodel Heidi Klum's company, claiming that her Heidi Klum Jewelry Collection copied their vintage Alhambra clover design. The suit, filed in Manhattan on December 21, seeks more than $25,000 in damages for attempting to benefit from Van Cleef's reputation.

Heidi has called the clover design under question her favorite symbol of good fortune: "I hope the pieces are true good-luck charms for the women who wear them."

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41 Comments

3 years 38 weeks

as a jewelry designer myself, i am very aware of similar designs, and i always wondered about this...

Camillabean 5 years 18 weeks

I was wondering how she was getting away with it. She's been selling it for a while now and I couldn't believe a lawsuit hasn't happened already. Plus, the lawsuit is only for $25,000?!?!?! That wont even cover the cost of their legal representation.

NanaK321 5 years 18 weeks

There is more than one way to portray a four-leaf clover and I don't think that it was necessary for Heidi to use that one design in particular. Honestly, I find that she's completely uncreative and has to resort to stealing others' designs because she cannot come up with her own. I'm sure that the Alhambra clover has been around for ages and that Van Cleef and Arpels cannot stake a claim in it's conception. However, while other brands have used a similar design in limited-run pieces, VCA is the only brand to use the Alhambra clover design repeatedly and in unique configurations as a signature. So it's not that Heidi is using the Alhambra clover design in her jewelry collection, it's that she's using it in exceedingly similar configurations as VCA as well as claiming it as a signature. C'mon now, as long as you're not blind, you know that she didn't pull this collection out of her ass. It's clear that she looked to VCA's Alhambra collection as a great source of "inspiration". She should really be ashamed of herself. Can anyone BE more unoriginal?

NanaK321 5 years 18 weeks

There is more than one way to portray a four-leaf clover and I don't think that it was necessary for Heidi to use that one design in particular. Honestly, I find that she's completely uncreative and has to resort to stealing others' designs because she cannot come up with her own.I'm sure that the Alhambra clover has been around for ages and that Van Cleef and Arpels cannot stake a claim in it's conception. However, while other brands have used a similar design in limited-run pieces, VCA is the only brand to use the Alhambra clover design repeatedly and in unique configurations as a signature.So it's not that Heidi is using the Alhambra clover design in her jewelry collection, it's that she's using it in exceedingly similar configurations as VCA as well as claiming it as a signature. C'mon now, as long as you're not blind, you know that she didn't pull this collection out of her ass. It's clear that she looked to VCA's Alhambra collection as a great source of "inspiration".She should really be ashamed of herself. Can anyone BE more unoriginal?

marlyrox 5 years 19 weeks

i don't get it ...its a four leaf clover how many comapnies use the four leaf clover RIDICULOUS

oiseaux 5 years 19 weeks

This article from the NY Times sheds some light on the issue:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/style/tmagazine/21kuczynski.htmlIt's been a ubiquitous design in religious art and architecture that's not uniquely theirs to lay claim to and I don't think vc&a should have a monopoly on it even if they had introduced their version of it in the 60s especially since they did not originally conceive of the design and one does not automatically associate them with it to begin with. It is, however, very normal for corporations to send out cease & desist letters to everyone they can find and then try to duke it out in court.Stepping off my soapbox. :)

oiseaux 5 years 19 weeks

This article from the NY Times sheds some light on the issue: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/style/tmagazine/21kuczynski.html It's been a ubiquitous design in religious art and architecture that's not uniquely theirs to lay claim to and I don't think vc&a should have a monopoly on it even if they had introduced their version of it in the 60s especially since they did not originally conceive of the design and one does not automatically associate them with it to begin with. It is, however, very normal for corporations to send out cease & desist letters to everyone they can find and then try to duke it out in court. Stepping off my soapbox. :)

krystij 5 years 20 weeks

Nevermind, I was thinking Mouawad

krystij 5 years 20 weeks

Didn't Heidi have a deal with Van Cleef & Arpels a few years back?

krystij 5 years 20 weeks

Didn't Heidi have a deal with Van Cleef & Arpels a few years back?

bizzybee 5 years 20 weeks

Wow. Several years ago, I was given a Brighton necklace that has Alhambra clovers as charms. I started wearing it again when I saw the photos of Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar wearing their VC&A necklaces. The look is very similar. I would think it would be hard for this suit to hold up in court. I would also think that VC&A and Heidi's markets are very different.

jen22 5 years 20 weeks

How long has her line of jewelry been out? And they are just suing now. I think its a little ridiculous. Plus there are no laws about stealing another person's design. I hope everything works out for her.

bailaoragaditana 5 years 20 weeks

Uhm... the Alhambra clover is so called because... shocker, this one ... it's a common motif in the architecture of the Alhambra palace. (And a good deal of other Moorish architecture in Spain, but that's not the point...) There's no trademark on the Alhambra as far as I know - and certainly the design is very common throughout Andalusia, and I haven't heard of this company suing random Spanish companies...

lala788 5 years 20 weeks

i think they just want to get more publicity to their name, Heidi Klum's lawyers will end this really fast

stpattygirl 5 years 20 weeks

It's not just that they are both clover designs, they look exactly the same! And yeah, Heidi's is more affordable, but I would prefer to have the VC&A because it's heirloom jewelry, like Cartier or Tiffany's.

PartyBarbie 5 years 20 weeks

It's a clover, the design is so simple.. how are you supposed to change something that basic? Does VC&A own the right to clovers? Ha.

poom 5 years 20 weeks

as a jewelry designer myself, i am very aware of similar designs, and i always wondered about this...

astello 5 years 20 weeks

i love that clover charm, simple but elegant. wonder who will come out on top of this one.

wrngco 5 years 20 weeks

She copied them Heidi pretends to know it all she's a fake I don't like her she's such a Paris Hilton

wrngco 5 years 20 weeks

She copied themHeidi pretends to know it all she's a fakeI don't like hershe's such a Paris Hilton

PrincessTracy 5 years 20 weeks

Yah...cuz clovers are so unique...how many ways are there to make a four leaf clover...come on now!

oiseaux 5 years 20 weeks

i've seen that design elsewhere at least 2 years prior to to the launch of van cleef and arpels or klum's version and given a family member earrings and a necklace with that same motif so vc&a is not original in it's design either. it's shape also has symbolism beyond the four leaf clover that heidi mentions. it seems vc&a's intention is to garner more publicity for their line.

gatsby-esque 5 years 20 weeks

I'd rather buy Heidi's line...way more affordable anyway.

kerish 5 years 20 weeks

Yep looks very much alike ....didnt she have someone advising her?25 K!! please that is pocket money ...woneder how much they will be paying the Lawyer?

kerish 5 years 20 weeks

Yep looks very much alike ....didnt she have someone advising her? 25 K!! please that is pocket money ...woneder how much they will be paying the Lawyer?

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