Ivanka Trump Called To Testify In Aquazurra Plagiarism Lawsuit
The footwear label has accused Trump of copying its “coveted” shoe designs
Ivanka Trump has been called to testify after Italian footwear label Aquazurra accused her of copying its designs and producing cheaper versions.
The case was first filed in June 2016, accusing Trump’s fashion line of of copying its “coveted” Wild Things shoe – a red suede stiletto with a fringed strap and a tie that wraps around the ankle. The luxury label claims Trump’s Hettie shoe is too similar to be pure coincidence, reports The Independent.
Trump’s lawyers have so far denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a publicity stunt. They argue that Aquazurra’s shoe isn’t distinctive enough to be copied.
Left to right: Aquazurra’s Wild Thing shoe, Ivanka Trump’s Hettie shoe
Trump stepped down from her corporate position at the company just before her father became president, so maintains that she shouldn’t be deposed because she “does not possess any unique information” about her company’s shoe designs.
However, US District Judge Katherine Forrest said that the trial would be unlikely to interfere with Trump’s White House duties and that she is important to the case. Forrest said that the president’s daughter’s “public statements regarding active and comprehensive brand management lead to a reasonable inference that the shoe at issue would not have been released without her approval.”
The deposition will take place in Washington around October.