Dolce & Gabbana have filed a law suit against Dolce and Banana, a South African costume jewellery shop and Dannii Minogue envies the style of Rachel Zoe and her pop princess sister Kylie.
The luxury Italian label have decided to take legal action against Mijou Beller – who has owned the shop in a fishing village near Cape Town, South Africa, for 12 years – after accusing her of ”objectionable conduct” and of ”diluting” the luxury brand’s name.
The 300-page affidavit – which was filed in the Cape Town High Court by Cristiana Ruella, a board member of Gado, the holding company of Dolce & Gabbana – also alleges that ”the name Dolce and Banana makes a mockery of the well-known trademark Dolce & Gabbana”.
Beller said she didn’t have the means to fight the lawsuit, and responded by rebranding her store, calling it Banana.
The label’s law firm Spoor & Fisher, which said Beller had ignored two previous warnings, the first one sent six years ago.
She has tried to reach out to Stefano Gabbana by sending him a message on twitter, that read, ”Dear Stefano, please let us be. And visit us in Cape Town. I have always admired your famous sense of humor so present in your brand and in your designs. And although I appreciate that Dolce & Gabbana is a very successful commercial enterprise, I fail to understand why Dolce and Banana is a threat.”
The singer-turned-fashion designer says she really admires the celebrity stylist because she always manages to look good, no matter what she’s doing.
She said, “Stylist Rachel Zoe has the most exciting mix of vintage and fresh-from-the-catwalk pieces in her wardrobe. I’ve learned such a lot about fashion history, designers and preparing for shoots from her TV show. She’s a delicate thing, but so powerful – calling the shots and creating this monster brand. Plus, any woman who wears over-the-knee black suede platform boots on a beach while styling a shoot has my heart.”
As well as Rachel, Dannii is also a fan of sister Kylie’s style – especially her taste in shoes.
She told Britain’s Glamour magazine, “If I was going to steal something from Kylie, it would have to be her shoes. She has the most amazing – not to mention extensive – collection, and somehow gets her hands on very special pairs before they hit the mainstream. Her collection is the source of serious shoe envy.”
