Hatters beware! American hatter threatens to sue over matches behind the ribbon!

[TheDane]

Did you know, that only one hatter in the US, Europe and Australia is allowed to make and sell a hat with matches, stuck down behind the ribbon? No? Neither did I! Not until I learned that Nick Fouquet recently threatened to sue Danish hatter, Peter Hornskov, for lost sales and damages, if he doesn't stop producing hats with matches behind the ribbon.

Fouquet has furthermore initiated an official request for take-down of Hornskov's Instagram account, due to violations of intellectual properties. It turns out, that Fouquet has registered a match stuck down behind a hat ribbon as his trademark in the US, Europe and Australia.

In 2015 Peter and his wife Cathrine opened their shop - the only custom hatter shop in Denmark - in a beautiful 1600's area in Central Copenhagen. He inherited his granddad's collection of matchboxes, and started to use the matches from the boxes more or less as a signature, tucked down behind the ribbon on his hats. A practice that is now claimed illegal.

I'm pretty sure, this would never be possible with a feather, a pin or a gamsbart. So I guess, Fouquet has convinced the trademark organizations, that tucking down matches behind the ribbon was a private phenomenon. Something hat owners did themselves, and that he is the first hatter to provide hats styled in this way. I'm not sure, but I can't seem to find another explanation for allowing him the trademark(?)

Here's a link to Holmskov's website
- and here's a link to a Facebook update on the matter

I think it's a pity and wrong that a person can register a thing like that as his or her trademark. What are your thoughts?

 

[FedOregon]

My initial thought is to start sticking matches behind the bow of my hats.

 

[moontheloon]

this is absolutely ridiculous

this has been happening since the beginning of time

it's like me registering a trademark for putting baseball cards in bicycle spokes

 

[Bamaboots]

@TheDane, the timing of this post is incredible. As one who is not much of a fan of contemporary music, fashion or anything else, I almost yelled out loud when I read your post.

The lady of the house has a 29 yoa daughter who has Asbergers syndrome that loves all things music, especially TV show competitions revolving around it. So, when the show "The Voice" is in season we try to make it a family affair and watch it together. I keep my feelings to myself as it's only a couple of hours a week out of my life.

Tonight, while watching the show, one of the finalists appeared wearing a flat brimmed hat adorned with oversized feathers and a couple of matchsticks in the ribbon. I exclaimed to lady B, "that's a damn Nick Fouquet hat", to which she replied, "you've talked about him before, and you don't like his hats, do you?"

The conversation went from there to me almost ranting about the state of custom hats and how one with little skill and a bit of publicity can demand and receive outrageous amounts for their junk, just because it appears on TV. Along with me exclaiming that I wouldn't wear one of his hats to a cockfight, even if I knew the contestants. One of the NFL's more visible stars is often seen in one of his hats looking like a stereotypical 70's era TV pimp. Anyway.

So, when you posted this it just really pissed me off. As moon said, this has been going on forever. Since man has worn a hat, he's figured out how to place something on it or in it. Just look at soldiers helmets over the years and what they've stuck on them.

Rediculous. But that's Hollywood.

 

[Monavillecowboy]

I often stick a couple toothpicks in my hatband.
You're all on notice! If I see any of ya'll copying my style we're going to court.

 

[Bob Roberts]

"Nick the Dick." Knew it the moment I saw his first hat.

 

[jlee562]

Wow.

I am reminded of an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares where he visits a place called Cafe Hon (short for "Honey". The owner trademarked "Hon," which is apparently especially prevalent there in Balitimore. The local community was not happy and even started a boycott.

I already regarded Mr. Fouquet as something of a fraud. At least now that opinion is justified.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Sadly this is not the first instance of a hatter being targeted. I heard of another hatter in Venice, California that had to find a new source of felt because Mr. F. successfully got him blacklisted. I guess the hats being produced by the other hatter were too similar.

Agree on all accounts that it is crazy to be able to trademark a matchstick.

Holmskov's look like they make some good looking hats though.

 

[FedOregon]

I wonder if you can get a trademark for incredibly tasteless, overpriced, poorly made felt hats? I know I could produce such a product! Hmmmm.. a retirement plan in the making.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Clearly a copyright infringement. Looking at the Holmskov's portfolio one does have the impression of a Fouquet collection. I wonder if those freely condemning Nick on this thread , would be so liberal if someone else used their trademark for the same product.
Maybe a certain disdain for monsieur Fouquet is influencing opinions.

 

[Jhoff_1979]

Regardless it is a dick move. Anybody can stick anything they want in their hat. Plain and simple.

 

[hatsRme]

Did you know, that only one hatter in the US, Europe and Australia is allowed to make and sell a hat with matches, stuck down behind the ribbon? No? Neither did I! Not until I learned that Nick Fouquet recently threatened to sue Danish hatter, Peter Hornskov, for lost sales and damages, if he doesn't stop producing hats with matches behind the ribbon.

Fouquet has furthermore initiated an official request for take-down of Hornskov's Instagram account, due to violations of intellectual properties. It turns out, that Fouquet has registered a match stuck down behind a hat ribbon as his trademark in the US, Europe and Australia.

In 2015 Peter and his wife Cathrine opened their shop - the only custom hatter shop in Denmark - in a beautiful 1600's area in Central Copenhagen. He inherited his granddad's collection of matchboxes, and started to use the matches from the boxes more or less as a signature, tucked down behind the ribbon on his hats. A practice that is now claimed illegal.

I'm pretty sure, this would never be possible with a feather, a pin or a gamsbart. So I guess, Fouquet has convinced the trademark organizations, that tucking down matches behind the ribbon was a private phenomenon. Something hat owners did themselves, and that he is the first hatter to provide hats styled in this way. I'm not sure, but I can't seem to find another explanation for allowing him the trademark(?)

Here's a link to Holmskov's website
- and here's a link to a Facebook update on the matter

I think it's a pity and wrong that a person can register a thing like that as his or her trademark. What are your thoughts?

Wow, Ole! Not that I would ever wear any of the poor excuses of ca-ca' that Foqy turns out, but who was first? I don't know the timeline details of when either started the practice, but I would think that he who was first should prevail.

Either way, what's to stop Peter from including a match or two with each hat, for owner installation?

Always good to chat with you, my friend! Hope all is well!!

 

[RBH]

Just so yall know... I have ® Mojo Bone for The Lucky Fedora !

 

[BobHufford]

...but who was first?

It goes back at least to the 1970s and probably way before.

 

[BobHufford]

Just so yall know... I have ® Mojo Bone for The Lucky Fedora !

Ha, ha, ha ... eww.

 

[Tonio]

Sounds silly, I doubt Foquet produces his own matches? If he does not, is it legal to resell another company's product as part of yours and claim it as your trademark?

 

[DOGMAN]

Shame on Nick.I wouldn't wear one of his hats if he gave it to me....Might use the match to start it on fire.

 

[Edward]

Wow.

I am reminded of an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares where he visits a place called Cafe Hon (short for "Honey". The owner trademarked "Hon," which is apparently especially prevalent there in Balitimore. The local community was not happy and even started a boycott.

I already regarded Mr. Fouquet as something of a fraud. At least now that opinion is justified.

Trade Marks are registered or use in relation to certain categories of goods/services, so it would be perfectly legitimate in law, providing noone else has done it, to register a common term for a very specific use - Cafe Hon would be no diferentg in that respect from Holiday Inn. His TM makes no impact on anyone locally's right to use the word in any other context, though it seems it backfired if people objected, whether on good grounds or no.

Sounds silly, I doubt Foquet produces his own matches? If he does not, is it legal to resell another company's product as part of yours and claim it as your trademark?

It's not really any different than puyting a chicken feather in there in that regard. The TM lies not in the match itself, but in its placement context. I suppose it might be an issue if the match itself were a very distinctive style - like if somebody made a match with a purple head and black shadt or something, but as it is a match is a match is a match....

It's an interesting case: clearly, he's been able to register the mark even if not the first to do it historically, but it wouldn't be the first time a TM holder trying to protect their mark backfired. Personally, if I got a hat with a match in it like that., I'd probablyremove it sharpish same as I do feathers. I've been known on rare occasion to wear a Jack of Hearts in a hatband, but as arule I prefer nothing in there.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Wow, Ole! Not that I would ever wear any of the poor excuses of ca-ca' that Foqy turns out, but who was first? I don't know the timeline details of when either started the practice, but I would think that he who was first should prevail.

Either way, what's to stop Peter from including a match or two with each hat, for owner installation?

Always good to chat with you, my friend! Hope all is well!!

Before Dennis Weaver on McCloud, there is a scene in Treasure of the Sierra Madre in which we see Bogart's Fred C. Dobbs with a couple of matches sticking up out of the ribbon of his battered fedora. It's been posted here before:

 

[TheDane]

Clearly a copyright infringement. Looking at the Holmskov's portfolio one does have the impression of a Fouquet collection. I wonder if those freely condemning Nick on this thread , would be so liberal if someone else used their trademark for the same product.
Maybe a certain disdain for monsieur Fouquet is influencing opinions.

You could ask Art what he feels about his small "counter-pointing" color detail in the bow's knot now is being copied by most any hatter around. He has on numerous occasions said, that he's proud of that fact. I believe that to be a lot more interesting than how liberal contributers to this thread think they would or wouldn't be in a fictional situation. I do agree that Holmskov's hats have some resemblance with Fouquet's ... so what? Many hatters' collections look pretty much like other hatters'. Nothing new there. In my mind, Fouquet's character seems to deviate quite a bit from most other hatters'. Disdain indeed!