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Fashion giant Christian Dior sues Springfield's Café Dior for trademark infringement

Café Dior on Main Street in Springfield. In a lawsuit filed in April 2024, the fashion giant Christian Dior accused the business of trademark infringement.
Dusty Christensen
Café Dior on Main Street in Springfield. In a lawsuit filed in April 2024, the fashion giant Christian Dior accused the business of trademark infringement.

In October, when Gissel Santiago opened Café Dior on Main Street in Springfield, it was a celebratory affair. Mayor Domenic Sarno cut a symbolic ribbon and praised the new Latina-owned business, which promised its patrons a luxury café experience downtown.

But now, the doors of the café are closed as it faces a multi-million-dollar lawsuit over its name — pitting the small bistro against the multinational fashion giant Christian Dior.

In a lawsuit filed in April, Christian Dior accused Café Dior of illegally using its trademarks. That includes the name of the business – Christian Dior operates a Dior Café, it noted in its lawsuit – and its logo, which it has alleged Café Dior used in its marketing. The company says Café Dior is trading on Christian Dior's fame and "luxurious," "sophisticated" reputation.

The cost of those allegations? Christian Dior is seeking $2 million in damages from Café Dior.

In court filings last week, Santiago's lawyers argued that the Dior mark has become generic. They also noted that her daughter's name is Dior.

Efforts to reach Santiago and her attorneys were unsuccessful Tuesday. The doors to the business were closed and its phones went unanswered.

Dusty Christensen is an investigative reporter based in western Massachusetts. He currently teaches news writing and reporting at UMass Amherst.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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