Van Cleef & Arpels filed suit in opposition to the Project Runway host in Manhattan’s federal court last week, claiming that her jewelry line ripped off their clover design.
The papers state that the designs produced by Heidi Klum GmbH and Mouawad USA are so alike to Van Cleef & Arpels’s vintage Alhambra line, they create uncertainty in the marketplace. The luxury jewelry house is suing Klum, 34, for copyright infringement and asks for damages in excess of $25,000.
Designer Pascal Mouawad, head of Mouawad USA, dismisses the claim, telling the magazine, “We believe this claim has no merit. It’s clear that shapes like clovers, hearts, crosses, etc, are universal symbols and are commonly used in jewelry.” He adds, “Heidi has been wearing her pieces on Project Runway and we’ve seen them become quite popular. The clover has always been in fashion and you can see that many other luxury jewelry houses have their own interpretations of this wonderful shape such as Louis Vuitton and Chopard. “