DESIGNER firm Gucci has apologised after extending its fight against fake goods to include an ancient tradition of honouring the dead.

The Italian manufacturer recently sent warning letters to shops in Hong Kong that were selling copies of its products to be used during the Qingming “tomb-sweeping festival”.

However, The fact the copies were made of paper led to widespread mocking of the luxury goods maker.

“Living people cannot afford Gucci products and they still do not let you own Gucci products after death!” was one comment on social media.

Another joked: “Does Gucci want to open branches in the underworld?”

During the tomb-sweeping festival, relatives of the dead offer paper gifts that they feel would be of use in the afterlife.

These can range from replicas of false teeth to socks and other items of clothing.

Copies of designer goods have become increasingly popular in recent years, along with models of expensive cars or even luxury homes with swimming pools.

“These items are not used by living people, it’s just to commemorate ancestors and for them to use,” said Chin-sung, the manager of one shop.


WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?

EVEN though the paper copies are burned by relatives at the graves, Gucci was not happy and sent a warning letter to stores selling the paper tributes.

Alarmed by the warning, some stores removed the Gucci replicas although they continued to sell paper versions of other designer brands like Yves St Laurent and Louis Vuitton.

The backlash, however, prompted a Gucci climbdown, with the company emphasizing it had the “utmost respect” for the memorial rites.

Gucci, which has 11 stores in Hong Kong, said it was trying to protect its copyright.

“We regret any misunderstandings that may have been caused and sincerely apologise to anyone we may have offended through our action,” said a company spokesperson.

“We trust that the store owners did not have the intention to infringe Gucci’s trademark. Accordingly, we did not suggest any legal action or compensation.”


HAS GUCCI TAKEN ACTION BEFORE?

THE spat is the latest incident in Gucci’s ongoing battle against fakes.

Last year, its parent company Kering began legal action against Alibaba, China’s most successful online market platform. Kering alleged Alibaba was enabling shoppers to buy counterfeits in bulk from its websites.

“Kering and its brands dedicate a great amount of creative energy, craftsmen’s know-how and monetary investments to develop products that speak to consumers and fulfil their needs,” said a company spokesperson.

“This lawsuit is part of Kering’s ongoing global effort to maintain its customers’ trust in its genuine products and to continue to develop the creative works and talents in its brands.”

Paris-based Kering said fakes of Gucci bags that retail at around £550 were being sold for as little as £1.30 each on Alibaba. Replicas of Gucci watches that retail for £665 were being sold from £7 to £55 depending on the size of the order, Kering said.

Gucci succeeded in convincing US courts to ban the sale of the goods and ordered Alibaba to hand over information on the sales to Kering.

Kering’s lawyer, Robert Weigel, said it was a “test case” that would force Alibaba to crack down on the “tens of thousands” of people selling fakes on its platforms.

Last November, a US judge also fined the Bank of China for refusing to disclose information about the accounts of China-based sellers of fake goods. The knock-offs included fakes of products made by Gucci and Yves St Laurent.

The firms had sought access to the records but the Bank of China refused on the grounds it would violate Chinese privacy laws. The bank said it would appeal against the US court’s decision.


ARE FAKES ALWAYS MADE IN ASIA?

FAKES are a growing problems for designer companies with around 70 per cent of these goods believed to originate in China. The internet provides a safe haven as sellers of counterfeit products can use numerous aliases to escape detection.

According a report from EU agency Europol, fakes made within the EU are also increasing. “Domestic EU production is on the rise with cases originating in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK,” said the report. “This large-scale domestic production of counterfeit goods in the EU is becoming an increasingly profitable business for organised crime groups and organisations. Counterfeiters, who operate with significantly lower risks, have been found to have links with other forms of crime, such as trafficking in human beings – notably for labour exploitation – as well as with other criminal groups originating from different countries in and outside Europe.”

António Campinos, president of the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) wants more to be done to crack down on the counterfeiters.

“A more structured and systematic intelligence effort on the criminal dimension of counterfeiting is seriously needed and would benefit national operational initiatives,” he said. “OHIM is determined to strengthen its cooperation with Europol by supporting information gathering especially in the online environment and by providing easy and secure access to IT tools aiming at facilitating exchange of information between right holders and enforcement.”