Bondage Radio

Toymaker says it considers the case ‘ongoing’ even though it’s been dismissed by a New York court.
July 22, 2005: 11:51 AM EDT
By Grace Wong, CNN/Money staff writer

previous story – barbie-store-to-give-up-on-bondage
Mattel vs. bondage Barbie — is it over?

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – A trademark case brought by Mattel against Barbies Shop, a Canadian store selling bondage clothing has been dismissed by a New York court, but the nation’s largest toymaker said Thursday the case “isn’t resolved.”

“We don’t consider this case resolved because it was dismissed because of jurisdiction, not merit,” said Mattel (Research) spokeswoman Lisa Marie Bongiovanni.

Last year, Mattel sued “Barbies Shop” for capitalizing on its trademark name Barbie. Mattel argued the store’s Web address, barbiesshop.com infringed on its trademark rights and its own Web address — barbieshop.com.

Barbies Shop owner Barbie Anderson-Walley said the suit has been dismissed and that Mattel doesn’t have a case to come back at it. The dismissal shows that “if you’re born with a name you can use it for a place of business,” she said.

Barbies Shop, which is based in Calgary, Alberta, specializes in selling clothes for “bad boyz and girls,” according to its Web site.

Shoppers can buy vinyl corsets and leather studded bras, as well as accessories like bondage belts.

But Mattel’s Giovanni said it isn’t the naughty nature of the store’s products that sparked the trademark suit, but the fact that Barbies Shop sells clothing.

“We own the Barbie name, clothing and dolls. Even if your name happens to be Tommy, Ralph or Barbie, in some areas that’s already a trademark.”

Anderson-Walley said the dismissal on the basis of jurisdiction proves that her store does not infringe on Mattel’s business place.

“My computer data shows how many American orders I have filled, and it’s not a lot. They made it sound like I was infringing on their waters, when in reality I’m not,” she said.

Anderson-Walley said she considers the case closed and that her lawyer doesn’t expect Mattel to appeal. “They’ll move on,” she said.

Mattel’s Giovanni said: “We consider this to be an ongoing piece of litigation and are considering our options.” That could mean finding a venue where there is jurisdiction, although she said the next course of action had not been decided yet.

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Only well-heeled candidates need apply — a fetish club set to open in Norwich is seeking women workers to walk over excited punters.

The vacancies for so-called “trample hostesses” are being advertised in the city’s Pottergate job centre and more than 20 women have already applied.

The new private members club, on Prince of Wales Road near the corner of St Vedast Street, is set to open in less than 10 weeks.

Applicants who get their foot in the door will earn £100 a night from walking over club members in a variety of footwear.

Roy Singhfield, who is behind the new venture, said: “We have had 20 applicants and it is going up all the time. It is very good money and the girls haven’t got any worries whatsoever. It will be properly policed, with doormen and whatever.”

He added: “They wear the footwear that the clients chose — flats, high heels, whatever the clients want.”

Members will pay for an hour-long session, but Mr Singhfield would not say how much it would cost.

He said he had filed an application to open the club with City Hall and had not met any opposition yet.

A council spokeswoman said there was no special entertainment license needed as the venue would be classified simply as a private members club.

But letters are being sent to families in the area, alerting them of the premises’ change of use.

Mr Singhfield said there would be no sex at the club and hostesses and clients would have to “toe” the line.

“It will be a trample club, a members-only club where people can come and get trampled on. There will be no sex — nothing like that at all.

“If any of the girls even mention that to potential clients they will be straight out the door. And any clients who try it will be given a warning and after that barred from the club. There will be none of that whatsoever.”

He said similar clubs had proved successful in London and Manchester.

“Everyone has different fetishes and if people want it done, why shouldn’t they have it done. As long as it doesn’t go too far.”

One woman who applied for the job and went to an audition said she was asked to walk along a man’s back.

“I saw the advert in the job centre and went for an audition where I had to walk on someone.

“I’ve never done anything like it before but I was told I wouldn’t have to strip off. They said they couldn’t tell me where it was going to be.”

The new club will not serve alcoholic drink and will only be open to members over 25 years old.

The job ad says that only over 18s can apply and that previous experience is not essential.

Mr Singhfield has claimed an exemption under the Sex Discrimination Act meaning only women can apply.

Have you got an unusual job? Telephone Evening News reporter Jasper Copping on (01603) 772499 or e-mail jasper.copping@archant.co.uk

Prepare to be stunned by ballroom transvestites

MARTIN HANNAN
AT LARGE
mhannan@scotlandonsunday.com

NO DOUBT many of its former members will be spinning in their graves when their ghosts learn of the transformation which is shortly to hit Edinburgh’s venerable Royal Scots Club.

The Club – patron HRH The Princess Royal – in Abercromby Place, is about to become the sexiest venue on this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, or so one of its forthcoming stars told me.

Its exquisite Edwardian ballroom is to become The Cave of the Golden Calf, a cabaret-style venue that is the brainchild of Andrew Brown, founder of the 369 Gallery and The Gilded Balloon.

The Cave of the Golden Calf is named after an avant garde cabaret club opened by Frida Strindberg in London in 1912. In Edinburgh, we are promised the best of contemporary burlesque and vaudeville performers.

What is really intriguing is that the producers have linked up with Stunners, London’s most outrageous transvestite and fetish club, for late-night entertainment at Madogs in Edinburgh’s George Street. Will the cross-dressers frequent the Royal Scots Club before moving on to Stunners? I certainly hope so.

Give JK the keys

Rumours reach me from Fawlty Towers, aka Edinburgh City Chambers, that JK Rowling may well be being lined up for the capital’s highest accolade, the Freedom of the City.

It would be an entirely appropriate reward for Rowling’s tireless promotion of the city she has made her home. When the latest Harry Potter book receives its worldwide launch at midnight on July 16 in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle, the city will gain the kind of headlines and media coverage that many tourism chiefs would be prepared to die for.

In days gone by, the city’s council once saw a real old rammy over a proposal to give Prince Charles the Freedom of the City. There were even those who didn’t want to give Sir Sean Connery the honour back in 1991, but surely no one could argue that Rowling would not be a thoroughly deserving recipient.

As UNESCO City of Literature, it is time for Edinburgh to grant Rowling the honour for almost single-handedly encouraging a whole generation to read books.

A festival free-for-all

The box office has opened for this column’s favourite festival of the summer, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, which runs from August 3 to 13. With around 1,000 performers from 14 countries taking part in this year’s festival, it promises to be one of the biggest and boldest yet.

Tickets are now available for the spectacularly varied programme that includes jazz, dance, orchestral music, theatre, traditional music, opera and choral music.

I predict that the Listen at Lunchtime series of concerts will be particularly popular with the local citizens – a free show in Aberdeen always goes down well.

Praise for great Scott

Delighted to learn that one of Scotland’s best sculptors, Andy Scott, is at last getting the recognition he deserves. Sadly, it is Australia which is lionising the work of this hugely talented man.

The Maryhill Magician has been commissioned to carry out a series of projects in Australia, including two works at Surfers Paradise, and a major work called Argeste Aqua for an outdoor sculpture exhibition at Byron Bay in New South Wales – you can tell it’s a major piece because it’s going to be lifted into place by helicopter.

They didn’t always appreciate Andy in Oz, and at least the new work won’t get the ‘treatment’ meted out to one of his earlier works there. In the town of Boonah, his equine sculpture Clydesdale was dragged off its site in the middle of the night and was later found lying on its side with two straw bales at its mouth – there’s Aussie humour for you.

Best known in this country for his enigmatic Heavy Horse beside the M8 at Easterhouse, Andy is presently working on a bust of Glasgow Rangers FC’s famous manager Bill Struth.

His best work yet, in my far from humble opinion, was unveiled in Belfast in April. Standing beside the River Lagan at Queen’s Bridge, the Thanksgiving Square Beacon is a 62ft tall representation of the female form atop a bronze globe of the earth. It’s quite superb.

I know there’s a Scottish Academy planned, and Andy Scott would be a shoo-in for it, but it is a disgrace that there has not yet been some sort of formal recognition of Scott’s achievements by our Parliament. Somebody should do something soon before Scott realises he’s better off in Oz where they appreciate him.