The Red Sole Reflection

Christian Louboutin is continuously disputing what the color on the bottom of their shoes means. Louboutin is recognized by the red soles on their women’s shoes, worn by stars such as Kate Winslet, Victoria Beckham and Margot Robbie, and even featured in a Cardi B song. In the most recent controversy, decided by Court of Justice of the European Union, Louboutin prevailed on the trademark protection of their red-soled shoes. However, the red sole is now in peril: a cancellation proceeding with The European Union Intellectual Property Office arose as a result of this litigation. Historically, the red sole has been controversial both with its trademark registration, and Louboutin being the singular user of red on the bottom of shoes. This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on March 13, 2019. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above