California-based augmented reality specialist Zugara has filed a lawsuit against Chanel Beauty’s US website, which allegedly deployed a virtual try-on solution that infringed on its own. An agreement had previously been reached with Estée Lauder, which was also accused of such practices.
Is Chanel Beauty guilty of counterfeiting?
While luxury brands fiercely defend their creations against unscrupulous copycats, technology players are also very attached to their own innovations…
Los Angeles-based Zugara, a specialist in augmented reality, filed a lawsuit against Chanel Beauty in Texas last July.
Slave-like copying?
It accuses the virtual cosmetics testing protocol deployed by the Cambon Street company on its US website of being too closely inspired by its own development.
Its patented solution allows virtual cosmetics—lipstick, mascara, and other eye shadow—to be superimposed in real time on the eyes or lips of Internet users, despite their movements.
According to the complaint, Chanel’s solution incorporates the various stages of Zugaro’s patented solution, namely “obtaining a live video stream, detecting the position or orientation of a user’s face, and superimposing virtual cosmetics that dynamically adjust to the user’s movements.”
Prestigious clients
Founded in 2001, initially as an interactive marketing agency, Zugaro has been focusing since 2008 on augmented reality and natural interfaces (gestures, voice, etc.) as a means of interaction. Its Webcam Social Shopper (WSS) allows users to try on clothes virtually via a webcam.
Its turnover is not public, but some sources estimate its annual revenue at between $5 million and $25 million. It has succeeded in attracting prestigious clients such as the luxury leather goods brand Coach, food companies Pepsi and Nestlé, and others in different sectors, such as Toyota and the US Air Force.
This solid portfolio clearly allows it to remain unfazed by the big players.
A few months ago, the company accused beauty brand Estée Lauder of copying its patent. An out-of-court settlement allowed the two sides to bury the hatchet this summer.
While it greatly enriches the user experience—an essential asset in these times of “luxury fatigue”—augmented reality technology is not without its legal pitfalls…
In addition to the Zugara case, brands such as Charlotte Tilbury Beauty (Puig group), Elf Beauty, and Mary Kay have already been called out for collecting biometric data without first obtaining the consent of the individuals concerned.
Read also > Brand Finance ranking: Chanel is the world’s most valuable global clothing brand
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