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ARTICLE · 05 JUNE 2025

UPC Rules That Gucci Does Not Infringe Leather Printing Patent

Potter Clarkson LLP
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In the first substantive decision of the UPC concerning luxury fashion, the Hamburg Local Division has found Gucci not liable for infringement of patent EP 3 388 490, relating to a method for embellishing...

United KingdomIntellectual Property
Georgia Carr
Georgia Carr
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In the first substantive decision of the UPC concerning luxury fashion, the Hamburg Local Division has found Gucci not liable for infringement of patent EP 3 388 490, relating to a method for embellishing natural leather with decorative images.

The claim concerns infringement allegations made by Agfa, a company specialising in industrial inkjet technology and the proprietor of EP 3 388 490, concerning specific embodiments of Gucci's Pikarar Collection (an example of which is depicted below). In the typical manner, Gucci counterclaimed for invalidity.

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The Hamburg Local Division rejected both the infringement action and the counterclaim for revocation, for the reasons explored further below.

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