HermèsHermès was hit with a proposed class-action antitrust lawsuit on Tuesday over what litigants allege is an illegal requirement for Birkin hopefuls to purchase ancillary products from the brand. Susan Scafidi, the director at Fordham University's Fashion Law Institute, told BI it would be difficult for plaintiffs to prove that Hermès' has a "lockstep policy" on how much a customer should purchase to access a Birkin or how sales associates determine who gets a bag. Melissa K. Dagodag, an attorney specializing in business law, also told BI that the lawsuit would be difficult to prove. "Maybe Birkin bags will become less of a status symbol and more of an 'I'm a sucker' symbol, casting buyers in some kind of unintended dark light," Dagodag told BI. "In other words, there may never be a better time for an ordinary customer with thousands to spend on a bag to go shopping," Scafidi told BI.

---

Persons: Hermès, Birkin, Gross, he's, Susan Scafidi, Melissa K, Dagodag, Scafidi Organizations: Fordham University's Fashion Law, Lawyers