THE DONNA KARAN COMPANY LLC is a world famous fashion design house founded in 1984.  The Company designs collections of men and women clothing, sportswear, accessories and shoes under the DONNA KARAN COLLECTION, DKNY, DKNY JEANS, and DKNY ACTIVE brand names.  The Company owns many trademarks, service marks and copyrighted material worldwide in connection with DONNA KARAN clothing, accessories, fragrances, jewelry and home furnishings. There is no universal way of differentiating a counterfeit product from a genuine item.  However, most counterfeits are made with poor quality material and are badly finished. 

The manufacture, distribution and/or sale of counterfeit goods carry stiff criminal penalties.  Below is a list of sample phrases to look for in the description of the item for sale in order to help determine its authenticity:

-         CANNOT GUARANTEE AUTHENTICITY

-         AUTHENTICITY NOT WARRANTED OR IMPLIED

-         NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES

-         DKNY-LIKE

-         DKNY REPLICA

-         DKNY STYLE

-         KNY/FONT>

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why does DKNY care if I sell a single piece of unauthorized DKNY merchandise?

A: DKNY has spent considerable time and money cultivating its reputation for style and quality.  Selling counterfeit merchandise is an attempt to trade off of DKNY well-earned reputation. These auctions not only cause monetary damage, but also damage DKNY reputation, as many buyers of inferior counterfeit products will attribute the poor quality merchandise to DKNY.

Q: I think that the item I offered is genuine. How can I tell if it is real?

A: Unfortunately, we cannot provide the public with detailed information on how to identify genuine DKNY product, as this information could also be used by counterfeiters to improve their fake products. The only way you can be certain that you are purchasing a genuine DKNY product is to purchase from a DKNY store or an authorized DKNY retailer.

Q: Can I list an item if I expressly say that it is NOT GENUINE?

A: NO. A disclaimer regarding the authenticity of goods does not satisfy state and federal laws prohibiting the sale of counterfeit/infringing merchandise.


Q: Why can't I use "DKNY" in my auction heading even though I am not selling a DKNY item?

A:  The use of the trademark KNYis misleading when there is no legitimate connection between the goods sold and the use of the name.

Q: If I purchased a legitimate item of DKNY merchandise, can I use a DKNY ad in my listing?

A: No. You cannot use DKNY trademarks, logos or copyrighted photographs to promote the sale of the item or make your auction more appealing.

Q: What if I did not realize that I was infringing DKNY intellectual property rights?

A: Innocent intent does not negate liability under United States copyright or trademark laws. You have a responsibility to ensure that your actions do not violate someone else intellectual property rights. Before commencing an eBay auction, you must take affirmative steps to ensure that your auction does not violate the rights of any copyright or trademark owner.

Q: Can DKNY verify the authenticity claims of merchandise for sale on eBay?

A: DKNY is unable to verify the authenticity of any items for sale on eBay. Additionally, DKNY can neither compensate a dissatisfied buyer who purchased counterfeit product from an eBay seller who made false claims of authenticity, nor replace the counterfeit merchandise with genuine merchandise.