Start of court hearing on trademark dispute
The Pecherskyy District Court of Kyiv has taken up civil case No. 757/28437/25-c, initiated by the Italian company STEFANO RICCI S.P.A. The plaintiff demands the invalidation of the Ukrainian certificate for the trademark “STEFANO RICCI” and seeks to oblige the defendants to take corresponding actions. The defendants in the proceedings are the State Organisation “Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation” (UKRNOIVI) and the individual – owner of the Domino brand, Anton Shukhin.
Details of the dispute and the Italian side’s position
The dispute concerns Ukrainian certificate No. 181419 for the STEFANO RICCI mark, which is registered in the name of Anton Serhiiovych Shukhin. STEFANO RICCI S.P.A. is a renowned Florentine brand, founded in 1972 by designer Stefano Ricci, specialising in luxury menswear, accessories, and lifestyle products. The company holds international registrations for its mark (including No. 767523), whose scope extends to the territory of Ukraine.
According to the Italian side, the Ukrainian registration is identical or too similar to their international one. In the plaintiff’s opinion, this may mislead consumers regarding the true origin of goods and services, as well as the identity of their manufacturer.
History of the lawsuit and procedural twists
The statement of claim was filed back in June 2025. Initially, the court of first instance refused to open proceedings. However, in April 2026, the Kyiv Court of Appeal quashed this ruling and remanded the case for a fresh hearing. Subsequently, the statement of claim was left unprocessed several times due to formal defects, particularly regarding the payment of the court fee. Only after all objections were resolved did the court open the proceedings.
The case is being heard by Judge Tetiana Hurtova under the rules of general claim proceedings. According to information available, defendant Anton Shukhin is attempting to complicate the case review process by exerting influence on the judge. The court has set deadlines for the defendants to submit their responses.
Context: previous disputes and market risks
Anton Shukhin, known as the owner of the Domino store chain, has previously been involved in similar court proceedings. Specifically, the Pecherskyy Court previously invalidated his certificate for the JACOB COHEN mark. Media characterise such actions as attempts to “appropriate” other people’s luxury brands. This creates opportunities to control customs clearance of goods, block competitors’ shipments, or demand licence payments.
If the claim by STEFANO RICCI S.P.A. is upheld, the Ukrainian certificate for this trademark may be declared invalid. This case is part of a broader problem in Ukraine, where conflicts arise between international rights holders of well-known brands and individuals who register their marks at the national level. This calls into question the effectiveness of the intellectual property protection system in safeguarding the rights of foreign companies against the registration of their marks by third parties.
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