We still have yet to receive a response to any of our queries, but Jennine Jacob of The Coveted put out a tweet yesterday letting her followers know that the issue with TheCoveted.com has been resolved without going to court.

Fashionista received an official statement from Erin Kleinberg and Stephanie Mark on the matter:

“After the recent on-line buzz regarding our use of thecoveted.com, we write to advise you that as of tomorrow our business will be rebranded as The Coveteur and henceforth we will be using that name and our new website www.thecoveteur.com. Using the name “The Coveteur”, we will transition to a brand identity that we feel better encapsulates our concept. In regards to the legal issues surrounding our dispute with the-coveted.com, we refer you to our statement on www.thecoveted.com and are happy to be able to put these issues behind us. So, as of February 2, 2011, we will be known as “The Coveteur” and we look forward to bringing you new and exciting content weekly. Thank you for all of your support.

Sincerely,

Erin and Stephanie”

Above all else, changing names was the right move, even if it’s a move that came late. Still if you contrast their statement with Jacob’s:

“I have been advised by the operators of “thecoveted.com” that they are prepared to amicably resolve this matter and that at no time did they have any intention of capitalizing on any goodwill or reputation of “The Coveted” at the-coveted.com. They have indicated that they are in the process of re-branding their project. I and Coveted Media wish Erin and Stephanie the best in their endeavors, look forward to seeing how their venture develops and am happy that we will be able to co-exist with them going forward. I thank all of my supporters for their posts and am hopeful that we can all now put this behind us.”

we can’t help but go back to the same thing that soured us on the Coveted in the first place (besides the possible trademark infringement thing): there’s a distinct feeling of a lack of respect for those who dare to pursue a place in fashion outside the establishment of glossies and big brands.

They feel a different name “better encapsulates their concept”? Why didn’t they use it in the first place? The Coveteur is a good name for their blog, and one that could have saved whatever it cost to have their lawyers (who must have discovered Google by now) draw up that nasty response that did them no favors legally or publicity wise. Not to mention, it was probably freely available for registration from the start, unlike thecoveted.com which was purchased from a domain reseller (likely at a price much higher than the reseller originally paid).

They’re happy to put the legal issues behind them? We bet they are, but not a hint of an apology for their role in kicking the “online buzz” off in the first place? That was a bit of a rhetorical question: surely, they’ve been advised by their attorneys to not accept any responsibility for anything that could be seen as willful violation of Jacob’s trademark, but a little humility here would go a long way – and on that front it looks like they still have quite a way to go.

To end on a more positive note, the petition in support of Jacob’s use of the name ‘The Coveted received more than 1,000 signatures from around the world, including Canada (Kleinberg and Mark’s base), and countries as wide ranging as Indonesia and Ghana.

Dear Erin Kleinberg, Stephanie Mark and Jake Rosenberg,

Congratulations on the successful launch of your new blog. We’ve seen mentions in the New York Times, Refinery29, Racked and many other well regarded publications – which doesn’t include Harper’s Bazaar, Teen Vogue and other publications that employ many of the people who opened their closets to you.

People seem to really enjoy the StyleLikeU meets the Selby content, and those fashion insider connections and press budget have given it a kickoff in a matter of a week that took the other blogs months to achieve.

You may be aware, however, that there’s some confusion over your use of the name The Coveted. According to the lawyers we spoke with, there’s a good chance your use of the name is infringing on the trademark of Jennine Jacob’s The Coveted. We requested comment from you a number of times – by email and by phone – but have yet to hear back from the public relations company who you said would respond to us. Mentions in the Times don’t happen on their own, so maybe they’ve been busy. Signature9 isn’t a major website (yet), so perhaps you just find us too insignificant a publication to reply to.

Sort of like you don’t think confusion can occur between a “personal blog” and a “website featuring interviews and insights into fashion personalities and their influences.” {The Coveted} We actually were confused, and signed the petition acknowledging the confusion. So far 478 other people have as well, so yes, it appears confusion can and has occurred.

No matter, in the event that the lack of response was simply a result of the overwhelming time constraints of conducting interviews, we’ll go ahead and publish our questions here. Please feel free to respond any time you or your representatives would like.

Awaiting your response,

YM Ousley
Publisher & Founding Editor
SIGNATURE9 (TM)

Our Questions for the Owners of TheCoveted.com

• In response to a letter from Jacob’s attorney requesting that you cease using TheCoveted.com, you assert that you were collectively unaware of Jacob’s site. Were you aware of a site called Google? Or Bing?
• If so, did you make an attempt at placing the name “The Coveted” into the search box to see if other sites were using the name prior to purchasing the domain TheCoveted.com in January of this year? If you were not aware of Google or Bing, or similar sites which enable people to search the web, did you request any assistance or make any other efforts at finding out if another site was already using the name?
• Your attorney appears to represent a sizable law firm. Were they also unaware of Google or Bing in researching the viability of a trademark, or rights to use a name?
• Your attorney has claimed the right to initiate “proceedings against Jennine Jacob and Coveted Media LLC seeking damages, injunctive relief and any other appropriate relief without any further notice” in the event that Jacob does not stop engaging in commentary or encouraging others to engage in commentary on the matter. From all information that we’ve been able to find, you are based in Canada, so we’d like to ask if you or your attorney are aware of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, specifically the portion which does not permit the making of any law “infringing on the freedom of speech” or “infringing on the freedom of the press”?
• Informally speaking, many of the people who have become aware of your site, and of Jacob’s site have expressed sentiments that they enjoy the content of your website, and would continue to visit your site  regardless of the name. Why do you feel it necessary to continue using the name “The Coveted,” having been made aware that there was an existing fashion blog of the same name which pre-dates your own project by nearly 4 years?
• From your attorney’s response, it seems you do not feel that bloggers count as fashion personalities. Is that an accurate representation of your feelings on personal style bloggers?
• Did you consider any other domains, such as TheCovetedCloset.com (currently available) or TheCovetedWardrobe.com (currently available)?