Guess Pulls Logo Bags Following Telfar Knockoff Accusations

Another big retailer crossed the line from flattery into forgery last week. This time, the copied label finished on top.

Same story: Social media users noticed that a logo-embossed Guess bag looked familiar—too familiar, to fans of Telfar and its continually sold-out tote bags. Within hours, an online chorus called for Guess to discontinue its Telfar lookalike.

Twist ending: Signal Brands, Guess’s handbag licensee, read its mentions.

Signal all but copped to copying in a statement shared by Complex: “Signal Brands does not wish to create any impediments to Telfar Global’s success and, as such, has independently decided to stop selling the G-logo totes.”

• The copycatchalls will be pulled from retailers including Macy’s, Hudson’s Bay, and Dillard’s.

Why it matters: Small brands with breakout products are often imitated but rarely knock out knockoffs without legal action.

• But the strength of Telfar’s fanbase—fueled by its positioning as an “accessible luxury” player—guaranteed a swift response.
• The Telfar team told the NYT they didn’t perceive the Guess bag as a threat, because Telfar’s community can’t be replicated by corporate.

Meanwhile, Telfar is busy prepping for tomorrow’s Bag Security Program relaunch, an on-demand ordering event for its hero item. 2020’s first rendition generated 10x more sales in one day than the brand recorded in all of 2019.