05-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Levi's sues after ‘Sans' Francisco labels reveal massive fake jeans operation
Levi Strauss & Co. has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a New York company orchestrated a sprawling counterfeit operation involving more than 90,000 fake Levi's-branded products.
The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, names Premier Brands Group, Inc. and its owner, Alan Chartash, as defendants.
Levi Strauss accuses the company of trafficking large volumes of counterfeit apparel — jeans, jackets, shirts and other items — bearing forged Levi's trademarks and falsely representing the goods as genuine.
Levi's claims the fake documents were riddled with obvious errors, and the garments themselves were poorly made — some even containing tags referring to 'Sans' Francisco.
'LS&Co. has never been 'Sans' Francisco,' the company noted.
Founded during the California Gold Rush in 1853, Levi Strauss is one of the world's largest and most recognized apparel brands, with its headquarters still in San Francisco.
According to the lawsuit, Premier Brands sourced counterfeit merchandise from known producers and resold the products under the guise of legitimate inventory redistribution.
The company's website claims it 'specializes in the redistribution of consumer products globally,' but Levi's alleges that the business model was a cover for trafficking in fakes.
Levi Strauss is seeking damages, as well as a permanent injunction to halt what it calls a deliberate and harmful infringement of its intellectual property.
The company says the scheme targeted its brand directly and caused significant damage to its 'fame, goodwill, recognition, and reputation for top quality and style.'
