Dunnes Stores faces action over sale of 'confusingly similar' designer handbags

Dunnes denies the claims of a French luxury brand which seeks injunctions restraining the retailer from infringing registered trademarks and from passing off the plaintiffs' goods

A composite photo of bags marketed by Longchamp, left, and Dunnes Stores, right. The French firms claim the Irish retailer has been selling a 'major designer dupe' and 'a dead ringer' for the Longchamp Le Pliage bag. File picture

Dunnes Stores is fighting a trademark infringement action over its sale of women's designer handbags which the French luxury brand Longchamp claims were confusingly similar to its products.

Paris-based Jean Cassegrain SAS and Longchamp SAS have sued Dunnes Stores Unlimited Company and Dunnes Stores Retailing Unlimited Company seeking, among other things, injunctions restraining the defendants from infringing registered trademarks and from passing off the plaintiffs' goods.

The plaintiffs are part of the Longchamp group of companies founded in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain in Paris and which in 1994 introduced its Le Pliage line of bags. Longchamp is led by a third generation of Cassegrain and says it is known for its fashionable designs, collaborations with artists, and most notably the Le Pliage range of women's bags.

It is claimed Jean Cassegrain has at all material times been the registered proprietor of EU trademarks for the bags.

It is also claimed that, since 2007, sales of the collection of bags, including the Style 1623 bag, have reached €7.8m in Ireland.

Dunnes, it is claimed, has reproduced the works or put for sale similar or identical designs such as to cause the likelihood of confusion among the public.

'Designer dupe'

It is further claimed the products have garnered significant attention on social media and in news coverage where "they were immediately recognised as copies and described, among other things, as 'major designer dupe' and 'a dead ringer' for the Longchamp Le Pliage original large tote, and for only €15".

Despite cease-and-desist requests to Dunnes, no undertakings were forthcoming although the court heard the bags were last sold by the store in August 2025.

Dunnes have denied the claims and as well as opposing the plaintiffs' proceedings, it has issued a notice seeking to have the EU trademarks cancelled.

An application by Michael Howard, for the plaintiffs, to have the infringement proceedings admitted to the fast-track Commercial Court was opposed by Ross Alyward, for the defendants, on grounds including a delay in bringing the application.

Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy admitted the proceedings to the commercial list saying he was satisfied there was no culpable delay on the part of the plaintiffs. 

The case comes back in November.