Louboutin wins row over red soles

The European Union’s top court has defended French fashion designer Christian Louboutin’s trademark of red-soled high heel shoes.

The European Court of Justice ruled that Van Haren, a Dutch company that sold similar shoes, had infringed the trademark.

The court said it did not matter that its shoes were different. It said the trademark “sought solely to protect that application of a colour to a specific part of that product”.

Louboutin said that it “warmly welcomes this judgment”.