For the past sixteen years, Valentino has been engaged in litigation with a company called Florence Fashions over the use of the Valentino trademark.

On June 25th, DC-based intellectual property firm Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck settled the case of Valentino U.S.A., Inc v. Florence Fashions (Jersey) Limited with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). The TTAB handed down the following judgment: “Valentino established priority of use and that a likelihood of confusion existed between the Valentino marks and Florence Fashions’ Giovanni Valentino and Gianni Valentino Marks.”

Confused? We were too. So we asked one of the lawyers from the firm that reps Valentino, Anne Sterba, to explain the case and the ruling.