Ferragamo SpA Sues Ex-Los Angeles Rams QB Over Winery Name

Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, the Italian luxury goods maker, in early May sued former Los Angeles Rams football quarterback Vince Ferragamo, saying he infringed its trademarks by operating his namesake winery in southern California.

Consumers are likely to be confused into thinking the Ferragamo Winery and Ferragamo SpA are related, the Italian company said in a complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan, where it has stores on Fifth Avenue and elsewhere.

Vince Ferragamo was accused of illegally selling wine with the Tenuta di Ferragamo name, and festooning the website for his winery with images of Tuscany and Italian countryside, even though it is located in Orange Park Acres, Calif., near Los Angeles.

The lawsuit seeks to halt any infringements, recoup triple damages and alleged illegal profits from wine sales, and have wine bearing the Tenuta di Ferragamo name thrown out.

The Ferragamo family in Italy also has a winery in Tuscany, known as Il Borro.

The case is Ferragamo SpA v. Ferragamo Winery et al., U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.