By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
LOWER EAST SIDE — Somebody call the fashion police.
A local clothing designer claiming he owns the trademark to the words "Lower East Side" has charged high-profile retailer J. Crew with illegally emblazoning the neighborhood name on its wares.
Clinton Street resident Robert G. Lopez filed a lawsuit last month claiming that J. Crew has been profiting off the sale of clothes carrying the words "Lower East Side," even though he began selling T-shirts and sweaters with the name back in the late '90s, Bowery Boogie reported.
The lawsuit noted that Lopez has been advertising his apparel line L.E.S. Clothing Co. for years, and that he registered "Lower East Side" as an official trademark in 2007.
The suit adds that a longtime customer of Lopez's contacted him late last year to ask if his clothes were affiliated with J. Crew.
He is suing for any and all profits derived from the brand's use of the name, as well as undetermined damages.
J. Crew has previously used the Lower East Side as its muse, featuring items like "The Bowery Pant," "The Ludlow Suit" and "The Stanton Pant."
The company did not immediately return a request for comment.
