David Yurman Accuses Mejuri of Copying Its Designs

RAPAPORT… David Yurman has sued Mejuri, alleging the direct-to-consumer jewelry brand infringed on a number of its designs.

The disputed items include earrings, bracelets and rings from multiple David Yurman collections, including its famous cable design, according to the December 17 lawsuit. Mejuri even used the same models and advertising campaigns as David Yurman to sell its products, the filing alleged. Based on the likenesses, consumers would be unable to distinguish between the two brands, Yurman said.

“The similarity between these two products is so striking that consumers seeing [them]…have been, and will continue to be, actually confused into thinking that the Mejuri products are related to Yurman,” the filing stated.

Mejuri’s conduct “allows it to free ride on Yurman’s hard work,” and the “inferior” quality of its jewelry causes harm to the David Yurman brand, the lawsuit alleged.

“Apparently not satisfied with merely copying the Yurman trade dress, Mejuri has also taken steps to falsely associate itself with Yurman through its promotional messages, advertising campaigns and artwork, and partnerships,” the filing noted. “These actions not only further mislead customers into believing there is a connection between Yurman and Mejuri but also misrepresent the nature and characteristics of Mejuri products by falsely suggesting that Mejuri’s products are of the same quality as Yurman’s. These actions harm not only Yurman but also the consumer and Yurman’s partners.”

The suit also accused Mejuri of copying other top luxury jewelers, including Boucheron and Lagos.

David Yurman is seeking a permanent injunction on the creation and sale of all similar jewelry items, as well as unspecified monetary damages. It has also requested that the court require Mejuri to melt down and recycle any remaining inventory of all infringing products, and to take down and destroy all similar advertising.

“The claims made by David Yurman are categorically false, and are fundamentally at odds with what we stand for and who we are as a brand,” a Mejuri spokesperson told Rapaport News. “At Mejuri, we strive for a culture that lifts up creators, prioritizes transparency and empowers people and our community to proudly invest in themselves. We look forward to demonstrating that today’s accusations are entirely without merit, and believe that there is enough space in our industry for artists and jewelry designers to co-exist and thrive together without baseless attacks on one another.” 

Image: A David Yurman store in Beverly Hills, California. (David Yurman)