A class action lawsuit has accused French luxury goods maker Hermes International of violating antitrust laws by allegedly forcing customers to purchase some of its other luxury products to get a chance to purchase the rare and popular designer Birkin bags.
Named plaintiffs Tina Cavalleri and Mark Glinoga, identified as residents of California, filed the lawsuit March 19 in San Francisco federal court.
Since 1984, Hermes has sold its line of handmade Birkin handbags. The bags typically retail for tens of thousands of dollars or more. Customers have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for the bags.
Joshua Haffener
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However, according to the complaint, Hermes has allegedly improperly leveraged the popularity of its bags to coerce would-be Birkin buyers to first purchase other Hermes luxury goods before getting the chance to purchase a Birkin bag of their own.
The plaintiffs are seeking to expand the action to include other plaintiffs who either purchased "ancillary items" or were asked to purchase such additional items from Hermes to get the chance to purchase Birkin bags.
The plaintiffs are seeking restitution, damages, and disgorgement, plus punitive damages and attorney fees.
The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Joshua H. Haffner, Alfredo Torrijos and Vahan Mikayelyan, of Haffner Law PC, of Sherman Oaks, and Shaun C. Setareh and Thomas A. Segal, of Setareh Law Group, of Beverly Hills.