Bottega Veneta Gets "Knotty"

The USPTO found its hands tied when examining an application for registration of a knot for use on or in connection with "handbags, shoulder bags, ladies' handbags, clutch bags and purses." Though the USPTO initially refused registration of Italian luxury brand Bottega Veneta's knot design, it reversed its refusal last week and granted registration of the knot design on the supplemental register.

Bottega Veneta describes its mark as "a configuration, namely, a three-dimensional knot with caps at each end, affixed to a clasp on the goods." The Examining Attorney initially refused registration of the mark, claiming that it was a "nondistinctive product design" or "nondistinctive feature of a product design" that was not registrable on the Principal Register without sufficient proof of acquired distinctiveness.