Delhi High Court grants relief to Louis Vuitton in copyright infringement case against shopping website

The Delhi High Court recently granted interim relief to luxury brand Louis Vuitton Malletier (LV) in its copyright infringement suit against shopping website www.haute24.com and others, for unauthorised use of its photographs [Louis Vuitton Malletier v www.haute24.com & Ors]..Justice C Hari Shankar noted that Louis Vuitton Malletier has made out a clear prima facie case of copyright infringement, and therefore, it would be entitled to ex-parte interim relief so that such infringement does not continue..In the present case, the luxury brand alleged that it maintains a website that displays the line of products which are available for sale. In order to advertise these products, world renowned photographers and high-end fashion models are hired on contract basis. The photographs used for advertisement on the website, therefore, qualify as “artistic works” within the meaning of Section 2(c) of the Copyrights Act, 1957, stated the plaint.Counsel for LV informed the Court that sometime in January 2022 and again in November 2022, the copyrighted photographs of the LV were being misused by defendants to sell their products, on the website www.haute24.com. The pictures of the same were produced before the Bench..The company thus moved the High Court seeking a decree of permanent injunction against the defendants and their agents from reproducing, copying or publishing, via the website www.haute24.com or through any other medium, the allegedly infringing photographs or any other work which would infringe LV's copyright.In addition, a direction to the concerned authorities to block the website of the defendants was sought, apart from damages and costs..Taking into consideration the facts, the Court ordered,"Till the next date of hearing, Defendants 1 and 2 and all their agents, servants, etc. are injuncted from copying, issuing to the public or publishing, on their website www.haute24.com or through any other medium, the allegedly infringing photographs enlisted in Documents A and B filed with the plaint, which shall constitute annexures to this order.".Louis Vuitton Malletier was represented by Advocates Anirudha Valsangkar, Rishika Aggarwal and Abhilash Gupta of Dodd & Co..[Read Order]