What Happens When a Local Turkish Bookstore Goes Up Against a French Fashion Titan?
Hermes vs. Hermes sounds like one hell of a legal battle card. Recently, the local Turkish bookstore Sahaf Hermes emerged victorious over French fashion house Hermes in an interesting legal battle that saw David win against Goliath. It's a rare win for small businesses in the face of increased corporatization.
The dispute started when owner Umit Nar applied the 15-year-old Sahaf Hermes for registration with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TurkPatent) back in December 2021. This would prompt Hermes's office in Turkey to respond to the claims. Turkey's intellectual property authority would initially side with Hermes, which would have prevented any other business from using the Maison's name for profit.
Back in February, the French luxury goods maker sued the small bookstore in Izmir, Turkey, and its owner Umit Nar for using the Hermes name. The Paris-based brand would ask the store to refrain from using the Hermes name in its commercial and online activities. The fashion titan also stated that the association with the Hermes name could potentially cause “similarity and risk of confusion."
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In Nar's defense, he claimed that the name of Sahaf Hermes comes from a deep love for Izmir, which has always had a strong connection with the actual Greek God Hermes. The diety, after all, is part of Smyrma (the former name of Izmir) and the greater Aegean coast's cultural identity. Nar and his legal team asserted that the name should be made available for all as it had been rooted in mythology and tradition.
What Happens to Sahaf Hermes Now?
“Hermes is a god in Greek mythology who belongs to the cultural heritage of humanity. He should not be owned by a company. This is an important decision in that sense," Nar said in a statement to the Agence France Presse.
An Ankara court would eventually partially void the decision by TurkPatent. The bookstore will also likely appeal the decision to further clarify its stake in the monicker. Nevertheless, the ruling sets a precedent for multinational companies that are choosing to go after small businesses.
“They would’ve been right if our sectors were similar, but that’s absolutely not the case,” he continued. “I hope that this verdict will help set a precedent for cultural heritage and multinational firms."
In Greek mythology, Hermes is one of the major Greek Gods, known for being the herald. A son of Zeus, he was also known to be the god of commerce and trade, as well as the figure that led the souls of the dead to the underworld.
