Portuguese liqueur producer defeats Louis Vuitton in trademark case

A Portuguese court has ruled that small liqueur producer Licores do Vale can keep its 'LV' branding, rejecting Louis Vuitton's claim that it too closely resembled the luxury brand's iconic logo. The case, which took over a year to resolve, saw LVMH argue the initials were 'almost identical' on verbal, phonetic and conceptual levels, but the court disagreed. It's a significant win for the couple-run business from northern Portugal, clearing the way for them to expand their product range, and it's not the first time LVMH has battled over LV trademarks in the drinks industry.