Elizabeth Arden fights back against fragrance lawsuit
Renta that the company is selling unauthorised fragrance products
to Target stores.
The fashion house filed a lawsuit last week in a Manhattan court that claimed Elizabeth Arden was selling fragrance products to mass market retailers that had only been authorised for use as promotional material. According to the US-based cosmetics giant, Oscar de la Renta fragrances are sold to the company from YSL Beauté and that any issue with the distribution of the products should be taken up with them. Complaint without merit "Elizabeth Arden was informed that any issue Oscar de la Renta had with respect to the sales of these products would be addressed by YSL. We believe the complaint is without merit and will vigorously defend ourselves against these allegations," said Elizabeth Arden executive vice president Oscar E. Marina. In addition, the company notes that it has been buying the fragrances direct from YSL Beauté, the registered owner of the trademarks in question, and distributing them to mass market retailers for many years. Oscar de la Renta is just one of the brands the company distribute to the mass market channel in a business that makes up a quarter of the company's annual turnover. Other well known brands the company distribute include Tommy Hilfiger, the Ralph Lauren Polo fragrances and the Hugo Boss brand. YSL Beauté now property of L'Oréal Only this morning the trademark holder of the Oscar de la Renta products confirmed the deal which sees it becoming a part of L'Oréal's luxury products division. The France-based giant bought YSL Beauté from PPR for an estimated $1.15bn after being given the go ahead by European competition authorities last month. President of L'Oréal's luxury division Marc Menesguen said the YSL brands had strong worldwide identities that L'Oréal was hoping to develop. "We are convinced that the support of our research and our strong international presence will enable them to increase their global reach," Menesguen said when discussing the future prospects of the YSL brand. The transaction represents the enterprise value of YSL Beauté and will also include the Roger and Gallet subsidiary which makes perfumed soaps. In addition, L'Oreal will have licenses for the fragrances and cosmetics of the Stella McCartney, Oscar de la Renta and Ermenegildo Zegna brands, although the former will remain the property of the PPR Group.
