are they knock offs or their own brand that pretty much just steals LVs designs?? I see ppl with them sometimes.
… I even saw one lady at the asian grocery store with one that looked like a papillon but with a eiffel tower on the side and her straps even looked like they had patina on the top! …
ehh the eiffel looked cheap!
anyone else ever see these bags?? the casino and 1 other place were the only times ive ever seen this brand sold. (the other place was like...idk what it was but it had fendi,
prada and todds bags that were real.
SO CONFUSED! anyone have any idea?
Okay, this is kind of long, but I hope this info. helps clear up some confusion
The company goes by the trademark name "Rioni" and the Eiffel line, to the best of my knowledge, is discontinued along with another line called the "Vincent Van Gogh", which as far as I know isn't a knockoff of anything.
The website is:
http://www.rioni.com
The company uses cowhide leather and a type of canvas (PVC) made in Italy, but I believe the assembly is in China. (As are
Coach and many other designer bags these days, so I really can't knock them for that reason alone.)
I too became aware of this company by seeing a couple of women carrying these "unknown" bags. Eventually, I located their HQs in California. What is on the website is only a small portion of what I saw in their store, although this was a year or two back and I haven't been there since. The majority of their stock looked radically different than LV or the other designers I am aware of. However, the brown "RR" monogram types, which seem to be their most popular line, use colors/materials similar to LV (see attached photo). However, the cowhide is not an unfinished vachetta but has a clear finish on it to repel water. As with any leather that is not heavily dyed and tanned, however, it will oxidized in time.
As best I can tell given that I am not an attorney, Rioni isn't violating any trademarks pertaining to Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton cannot trademark cowhide and canvas; those are merely materials. Dooney & Bourke, Coach and many brands made in Italy have made use of leather that develops a patina over time. As for the "canvas" part, that is basically a type of PVC no matter who makes it. PVC is very, very common in handbags, although Louis Vuitton's version is superior (IMO).
As for quality, they seems quite good overall — especially when you consider their prices.
Upon seeing a woman carrying a Rioni bag for the first time, I knew immediately that I was looking at another brand. It's difficult to confuse an "R" with an "LV" or a "C" or a "D&B" or a "MK" or any of the other monogram makers for that matter. Consequently, I doubt the general public would confuse them on the street (which is the criteria for winning a lawsuit on the basis of trademark dilution, if I'm not mistaken). Of course, we all know that LVMH isn't the least bit afraid to sue anyone who threatens them, and thus far I don't think they've felt the least bit threatened by Rioni. That could change at any time, though. LVMH will file a lawsuit even if winning is a long shot. The media will print news about LVMH filing in court, yet rarely follow up and report that they subsequently lost their case (as I believe was the outcome when LVMH sued Dooney & Bourke over their "It" bags, for instance).
The Rioni brand probably appeals to people who want something a bit different and less common than Coach and Dooney & Bourke (not that I have any problem with the more recognizable brands — in fact I own several, including Louis Vuitton
. Some people, such as myself, honestly like the look of natural cowhide trim paired with PVC/canvas but don't always feel like wearing the larger, flashier monograms that are often paired with those materials — in which case Rioni is a more subdued option. Others may not have the money for an Louis Vuitton, and this is their alternative to a counterfeit. Or it could simply be that some wish to carry a handbag with less street recognition because they imagine it to be more original or exclusive. Whatever the reason, I would rather see someone carrying a Rioni any day to a trademark-bearing LV replica.
