Protect What Makes It Genuine
Luxury brands face counterfeits, gray-market imports, and resale and authentication disputes. We register and record luxury marks, run counterfeiting investigations and claims, and act against materially different goods.
What luxury brands run into
Miami's luxury retail, its watch and jewelry trade, and its port and airport make it both a luxury market and a counterfeit gateway.
Counterfeits
Counterfeit watches, jewelry, and handbags move through marketplaces, social media, and ports.
Counterfeiting Investigations →Problem 2Gray-market and materially different goods
Genuine goods made for other markets can infringe in the U.S. if they differ materially.
U.S. Customs (CBP) Recordation →Problem 3Resale and authentication disputes
Resellers that imply authorization or authenticate goods they cannot verify create liability.
Cease-and-Desist Letters →Problem 4Dilution of a famous mark
Famous marks can stop uses that blur or tarnish them, even without confusion.
Trademark Dilution Litigation →What we recommend for luxury brands
Our five most important steps for protecting a brand in this industry, in the order most clients need them.
Record every key mark with CBP
Recordation lets Customs detain counterfeits, and Lever-rule protection can extend to gray-market goods.
Document the differences in U.S. goods
Keep records of what makes U.S. goods different, such as warranties, serial numbers, and inspections, to support material-difference claims.
Run test purchases and investigations
Investigations identify sources and build the record for seizure orders and counterfeiting claims.
Monitor resale platforms
Watch resale and authentication platforms for false claims of authorization and for counterfeits.
Register in the countries where goods are made and sold
Counterfeit supply chains run through several countries. Filing there supports enforcement at the source.
Luxury brand filings at the USPTO, 2021 to 2026
Applicants filed 122,576 U.S. trademark applications in this category from 2021 to 2025, and filings in 2025 were down 16% from 2021. 146,237 live registrations cover it today.
Applications filed per year
U.S. applications by filing date. The 2026 bar covers January to late October.
View data table
| Year | Applications filed | Registered to date | Abandoned | Registrations issued that year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,783 | 18,404 | 8,260 | 16,278 |
| 2022 | 22,769 | 14,194 | 7,308 | 14,582 |
| 2023 | 23,213 | 13,938 | 6,707 | 14,291 |
| 2024 | 25,422 | 15,837 | 6,495 | 16,876 |
| 2025 | 23,389 | 12,458 | 4,012 | 19,457 |
| 2026 (Jan.–Oct.) | 20,093 | 2,448 | 496 | 15,464 |
Applications filed and registrations issued
Applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
What happened to each year's applications
Status today of applications filed each year. Recent years are still largely pending.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 28, 2026. The USPTO does not classify filings by industry, so this page counts: Applications naming Class 14 (jewelry and watches) or Class 18 (leather goods, handbags, and luggage). An application is counted once even if it names several qualifying classes.
Top five trademark registrants: Luxury Goods
The owners that received the most U.S. registrations in this category since January 2021. Class 18 also covers everyday bags and pet collars and leashes, which is why mass retailers appear.
U.S. registrations issued since January 2021, by owner
Registrations issued January 2021 to October 2026 in the category described in the data section, by current owner.
View data table
| Rank | Owner | Registrations since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richemont International SA | 169 |
| 2 | Target Brands, Inc. | 82 |
| 3 | Hermès International | 65 |
| 4 | Louis Vuitton Malletier | 62 |
| 5 | PetSmart Home Office LLC | 56 |
Owners identified from a random sample of 18,962 of the 96,948 registrations in the category, then counted across all of them by owner name. Listed for information only. These companies are not clients of the firm, and their inclusion implies no affiliation.
What the law says
- Genuine goods sold outside authorized channels can still infringe if they differ materially from those sold in the U.S., for example in warranty, packaging, or quality control.
- CBP can restrict gray-market imports of recorded marks under Lever-rule protection when the goods are physically and materially different.
- Willful counterfeiting carries statutory damages of up to $2 million per counterfeit mark per type of goods, and seizure orders are available.
Start here: a checklist for a new brand
Your checks are not saved.
Who does what for your brand
A licensed attorney is responsible for each matter, supported by paralegals and docketing staff who manage documents, deadlines, and monitoring.
Attorneys
Strategy, filings, and enforcement.
- Clearance searches and written risk opinions
- Applications drafted for luxury goods and services
- Responses to USPTO refusals and oppositions
- Demand letters, licenses, and litigation
Paralegals and docketing
Files complete and deadlines met.
- Specimens, dates of use, and evidence
- Docketing of every USPTO and renewal deadline
- U.S. Customs recordation and Amazon Brand Registry
- Watch notices for new conflicting filings
Client service
Clear, bilingual, and easy to reach.
- Service in English and Spanish
- Copies of every USPTO notice, explained
- A written estimate before each filing
- Renewal reminders well in advance
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop genuine goods from being resold?
Generally not, under the first-sale doctrine. But goods that differ materially from U.S. goods, or resellers that imply authorization, can be challenged.
What is the Lever rule?
A CBP rule that restricts imports of genuine goods that are physically and materially different from goods authorized for the U.S., once the owner applies for that protection.
What damages are available for counterfeiting?
Statutory damages of up to $2 million per counterfeit mark per type of goods for willful counterfeiting, or actual damages and profits.
Is my mark famous for dilution purposes?
Only if it is widely recognized by the general U.S. public. Few marks qualify, but those that do can stop blurring and tarnishment.
Can CBP stop counterfeits for me?
Yes, after you record your registration. Training materials for officers help them identify fakes.
Do I need investigators?
For repeat sources and large operations, investigations identify the people and assets behind the sales.
Talk to us about your luxury brand
Tell us your brand, what you sell, and where. We will check the register, recommend the right filings, and give you a written estimate.
- Clearance searches
- Federal and Florida filings
- Enforcement and litigation
- Customs and marketplace protection