Puma wins lawsuit against supermarket selling bogus sneakers

German sportswear maker Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport has won a lawsuit against a supermarket in Shanghai that sold fake Puma athletic shoes, a Shanghai court ruled Friday.

The Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court heard that Fu-mart, a supermarket owned by the Nanhui branch of the Kunshan Runhua Commerce Co,. Ltd. in Shanghai, allegedly sold sports shoes bearing logos identical to the Puma logo.

Lawyers representing Puma managed to buy a pair of fake Puma shoes for 69 yuan (nine U.S. dollars) on December 22, 2006 at the market.

The German company, which registered the Puma logo in China in 1999, demanded an end to the infringements, a public apology and a compensation of 500,000 yuan (65,700 U.S. dollars).

The supermarket argued the shoes, registered under the "Shuqi" trademark, came from legal sources.

The market said that it didn't know the shoemaker had infringed on Puma's trademark rights, adding that it should not be liable for compensation, as it has only sold two pairs of the shoes, and had terminated sales.

The court ruled that the supermarket failed to identify the infringement and should be held responsible for selling counterfeit Puma products. It ordered the supermarket to publish a public statement to mitigate the negative effect it has caused on the Puma company and pay 100,000 yuan (13,100 U.S. dollars) in damages.

Financial crisis takes the gloss off foreign grooms

If you're a foreigner keen on marrying a Chinese, she is more likely to say bu this year - and you can blame Lehman Bros et al for it.

Two nationwide surveys, conducted at the beginning of last year and earlier this year by major Chinese matchmaking agency hongniang.com, show that women are now less inclined to marry someone from outside the country.

The latest poll, with the September 2008 bankruptcy of Lehman Bros as a watershed, and conducted from December to February, shows that women who intend to wed foreigners plunged from 42.5 percent in the survey last year to 16.8 percent. At the same time, those who viewed cross-cultural marriages with approval fell from 72 points to 54, with 100 indicating the most favorable.

"This indicates that with the impact of the financial crisis, women are more prudent in choosing a foreign partner, and they are most concerned about financial stability and sense of security because of the spending culture in Western countries," explained Fang Fang, chief relationship consultant at the agency.

According to Fang, the surveys were conducted on both single and married women in the form of questionnaires, which were sent out to the agency's members or given to those who attended its social activities.

The number of international marriages has been growing along with China's increasing interaction with other countries, figures from information portal Chinanews.com showed last December. There are about 400,000 international marriages in the country every year, the portal reported.

For Bao Lu, a marketing specialist in her 20s with Trends Traveler magazine, the term "international marriage" conjures up images of media magnate Rupert Murdoch and his wife Wendi.

She thinks it needs courage to marry a person from another culture because cultural differences are a major issue. "But if you meet the right person at the right time at the right place, then go ahead. I don't believe money will come into the equation. I can accept a foreign husband if he's Mr Right," Bao added.

Why do you shop

Why do people shop?....well, basically there are three reasons as follows:

1) People shop for practical reasons, like..."Ops ....I run out of condoms"...."I haven't ate anything for 3 days"...."I need a bed for my friend...because he/she is staying overnight"....well, you got my drift!

2) People shop for social reasons....Like "Hey, I was there...didn't you see me there?"...."That's a cool place to be"...."Hi, sweety...nice seeing you here!"...."Did you see that?...wow!...cool!...fantasic!"...

3) People shop for emotional reasons...."He doesn't love me anyone...sob,...sob...I will shop until he drops...that's his heart rate or his bank account"..."I am so happy today...I will buy up the whole store"....."I am depressed...let buy some excitments"....etc.

SO.....why do you shop?....all the above reasons?....none of the above reasons?....different reasons other than the above?

Your unique and precious thoughts please!

puma shoes ugg boots chaussures puma

Womens Puma Cat Golf Shoes

I saw these and I thought that they looked pretty smart in black and white. Apparently the kilties are removable for a different look. bearing in mind I found them following an article about how important fashion is on the golf course these days (and how diverse the golfers), the look is obviously a feature. Sold on-line for $75, the alternative version in pink is sold out. Is that predictable?!

The Puma Golf Cat Shoe has a full rubber spikeless outsole and is available in both smooth and suede leather in a lace up style.

Light-weight, comfortable and water resistant.

Cool Shoes PUMA by Schedoni

As one of the top selling brands of sport shoes in the world, there's little new we can tell you about PUMA. You may not be familiar with Schedoni, but you've seen its products. Watch any F1 telecast, and notice the little black leather helmet pad right Felipe and Kimi's heads. Yup, Schedoni makes them. If you buy a Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, or Audi and order the optional fitted luggage, it too is crafted by Schedoni. Schedoni purses sell for $1000 and up at Neiman Marcus, and if you need an Italian leather golf bag or a Kevlar lined, bomb-resistant briefcase like the Italian secret service uses, Schedoni can fix you up with those too. This amazing boutique business is based in Modena, Italy, home of exotic cars, real parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar as precious as vintage wine.

The CEO of PUMA was so taken with the nature and products of Schedoni that he felt the two should joint venture on a project. The result is PUMA by Schedoni, a superb line of custom made footwear and accessories that is launching this month. Expect the F1 and movie star car types to be wearing them.

PUMA VS ADIDAS continue

TENSE BATTLES

Puma, with its leaping cat logo, has 12 World Cup teams under contract and has replaced its larger foe Adidas as the top sponsor at the second-biggest sporting event after the Olympics, which kicks off on June 9 in Berlin.

Only six teams at the month-long tournament will play in Adidas's three-stripes kit because many of its advertising partners, like European champions Greece, failed to qualify.

Competition in the global sporting goods industry is fierce and every match won and lost during the event could affect sales of replica jerseys.

In Herzogenaurach tensions will be running especially high, although they have eased in recent years.

Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer has even congratulated his Puma counterpart Johen Zeitz for his company's recent success with sports lifestyle fashion.

Remarkably, in a move unthinkable even a decade ago, Adidas has even hired a grandchild of Puma founder Rudolf Dassler as its top legal adviser.

"This stirred some excitement in town but it was also a sign that things have relaxed in daily life," said 65-year-old mayor Lang, who has always lived in the town. "People have mixed up."

Adidas-Puma feud to play out at World Cup

FRANKFURT, June 5 - Argentina versus Ivory Coast will not be a must-see World Cup game for most Germans but in the small town of Herzogenaurach a decades-old feud will be played out on the pitch when they meet on Saturday in Hamburg.




Argentina are sponsored by Adidas while Ivory Coast are backed by Puma and the town is home to both global sportswear makers -- bitter rivals founded by two brothers who fell out almost 60 years ago and never made up.

Located deep in the Bavarian province and without a train station or motorway exit, Herzogenaurach, population 24,000, is know as the 'town of downward glances', where the shoes you wear are a statement of which side you belong to.

For decades, life in the town has been defined by the two sportswear brands, making some places no go areas for people with the "wrong" shoes.

"There were always the ones who supported Adidas and others favouring Puma," said Hans Lang, mayor of the town.

An Adidas employee put it more brutally: "You would be fired immediately if you showed up in Puma shoes".

So strict is the line that locals claim even marriages between Adidas and Puma families were rare until the 1970s.

Until the 1980s, children usually chose to join the firm where their father already worked, separating the city into Adidas and Puma families who visited their own pubs or played for their clubs.

Lothar Matthaeus, Germany's 1990 World Cup-winning captain, started his career at the town's "Puma" club, FC Herzogenaurach, because his father was a janitor at Puma's headquarters.

He even remained loyal to the company when he got his first professional contract at Borussia Moenchengladbach, one of Puma's advertising partners.

Getting down to basics

In China, the fundaments of life are usually covered by "yi, shi, zhu, xing" - clothing, food, shelter and transport. The basic material things.

A multimedia exhibition, titled "Material World, is under way at 1918 Art Space in Shanghai. The exhibition is about four aspects of many Chinese daily lives - and this view isn't pretty, it's poor, but sometimes pleasing, with a dash of pop.

"Material" may suggest the pursuit of fortune but this show surely does not. It shows the pleasant and sad aspects of the life of the poor.

"Most exhibits are newly made," says gallery owner Zhao Yonggang. Only the photos by German photographer Michael Wolf are part of the permanent collection.

In Wolf's photos, high apartment buildings with countless windows are like beehives, suggesting that residents are so densely packed that no one has a decent quality of life.

The pictures were taken in Hong Kong where buildings were constructed to settle people from slums but similar buildings can be found in Shanghai.

Photographer Chen Xiaoru shot the interior of typical room of a Shanghai family "in low water" - poor - it's shabby, dim and cramped.

Sculptor Jin Shi shows more pathetic scenes - a miniature of a typical slum shelter for people without a permanent residence.

The miniature of a room is about the size of a desk. Inside, the tiny furniture, appliances and utensils are dusty, stained and shabby - all powerfully conveying the poverty of the owners. The small size emphasizes the crowded quarters and poverty.

Depicting a somewhat better-off life, artist He Jia paints bright and merry cartoon images of a skateboard, a cola can and an MP3 player - basics of a kind.

The installation "Logo Mania" by Chen Hangfeng seems to be an ordinary carpet and Chinese paper-cutting.

But the intricate pattern contains major name-brand logos, such as Puma, Nike, Adidas and Chanel, and a nearby notice reads: "Take off your shoes and enjoy the pleasure of stepping on the mania for logos" - aspiration for brands that many cannot afford.

Hotfoot it!

UGG Australia is dipping its toes into the Chinese market with its selection of boots.

The brand's China flagship store opened on Dec 19 at Solana Beijing, offering everything from traditional to high-fashion footwear.

In addition to boots, the outlet retails UGG's new collection of accessories and cloth.

Classic love

The Classic Collection features clothes faced sheepskin boots in black, chocolate and sand hues, and recently expanded to offer soft gold, metallic silver and gold, and paisley.

The Classic Cardy features colorful wool-blend knit uppers and sheepskin sock liners for extra comfort.

A light and flexible outsole and suede heel guard provides durable all season long wear. The Classic Cardy is detailed with three oversized wood buttons, allowing them to be buttoned, slouched and slightly unbuttoned or completely cuffed.

The brand's Slippers Collection combines warmth and comfort for around the house or traveling in luxury.

Lavish luxury

The Nolita and Greenwich Collections feature well-crafted, stacked leather heels and sculpted wedges.

The New Duck Collection combines UGG comfort and durability with names such as Duclair and Belfair.

The collection is made with full grain waterproof leather and a breathable eVent membrane, and is lined with sheepskin. These unique designs keep feet warm and dry, and are sure to turn heads.

Passion for fashion

Fresh, youthful and hip styles are key to the Metropolitan Collection. Combining rich supple leathers, smooth silky suedes and wool crochet, UGG Australia has reinvented this coveted silhouette.

Surf's up

The Surf collection is designed to keep wearers comfortable and stylish at all times.

Walk like a man

UGG Australia has added and updated its offerings for men.

The Rugged Casual Collection features an assortment of simple yet chic styles that include a sheepskin foot bed for extra comfort.

Pinault's PPR snaps up Puma stake

PPR SA, the French retailer controlled by the billionaire Pinault family, bought a 27 percent stake in Puma AG and will make an offer for the rest of the German sporting-goods maker for a total 5.3 billion euros.

PPR, owner of the Gucci Group of luxury-goods brands, paid 330 euros per share for the stake held by German billionaires Guenter and Daniela Herz and will offer the same to other shareholders, Herzogenaurach, Germany-based Puma said. The offer is 4.8 percent more than Puma's closing price last Thursday.

An acquisition of Puma would increase the portion of sales PPR is making outside the country by adding more international brands. Puma, whose products are sold in 80 nations, has forecast record revenue and profit in 2007 after sales quadrupled in five years.

PPR is looking to add Puma to its portfolio as designers of luxury clothes collaborate with sporting-goods makers to capitalize on demand for fashionable apparel and shoes. Puma, known for its leaping-cat logo, and larger rival Adidas AG are working with designers Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, whose companies are owned by PPR.

Bloomberg News

Puma wins lawsuit against supermarket selling bogus sneakers

German sportswear maker Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport has won a lawsuit against a supermarket in Shanghai that sold fake Puma athletic shoes, a Shanghai court ruled Friday.

The Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court heard that Fu-mart, a supermarket owned by the Nanhui branch of the Kunshan Runhua Commerce Co,. Ltd. in Shanghai, allegedly sold sports shoes bearing logos identical to the Puma logo.

Lawyers representing Puma managed to buy a pair of fake Puma shoes for 69 yuan (nine U.S. dollars) on December 22, 2006 at the market.

The German company, which registered the Puma logo in China in 1999, demanded an end to the infringements, a public apology and a compensation of 500,000 yuan (65,700 U.S. dollars).

The supermarket argued the shoes, registered under the "Shuqi" trademark, came from legal sources.

The market said that it didn't know the shoemaker had infringed on Puma's trademark rights, adding that it should not be liable for compensation, as it has only sold two pairs of the shoes, and had terminated sales.

The court ruled that the supermarket failed to identify the infringement and should be held responsible for selling counterfeit Puma products. It ordered the supermarket to publish a public statement to mitigate the negative effect it has caused on the Puma company and pay 100,000 yuan (13,100 U.S. dollars) in damages.