Calvin Klein and Warnaco Face a Perilous Fight in Court
nytimes.com
After months of claims and counterclaims stretching from Seventh Avenue to the set of "Larry King Live," two titans of fashion are about to square off in court. Barring a settlement, the trial of Calvin Klein versus Linda Wachner, chief executive of Warnaco Group, the company that manufactures Calvin Klein jeans, will begin on Monday.
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Both sides say they hope to avoid personal nastiness, and they expect a straightforward trial that could last three to six weeks. Nevertheless, each side has armed itself with high- wattage lawyers that are the legal equivalent of mutual assured destruction.
In the corner representing Klein Inc. is the ubiquitous David Boies, famous for defeating Microsoft in its giant antitrust case and for representing Vice President Al Gore on the vote recount in Florida. Well spoken and ferociously smart, Mr. Boies earned a reputation during the Microsoft trial for lulling witnesses and then catching them off their guard.
Advocating for team Warnaco will be Brendan V. Sullivan Jr., a bulldog most famous for his animated "I am not a potted plant" defense of Lt. Col. Oliver North, suggesting the cross- examination of the designer will not be a walk in the park. Also on the Warnaco team will be Gregory B. Craig and Nicole K. Seligman, personal lawyers to President Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
This should be a good court battle for all designers, textiles, and retailers. |
