A Dublin mother and daughter have each lost a  €75,000 defamation claim against luxury shoe brand Christian Louboutin and department store Brown Thomas. The lawsuit concerned remarks they alleged a member of staff made against them when they tried to exchange a pair of Louboutin shoes in the store.

Judge James O’Donohoe found no evidence to corroborate the allegations made by the planitiffs against Louboutin staff member Ciara Rogan. They claimed that she refused to accept the returned shoes as they were not authentic. According to the lawsuit filed, Sarah Anne McGinley senior and her daughter Sarah Anne Junior, were told by Rogan that;

“They are a different shade to the ones we sell. No, they do not look right and I am definitely not changing them…they do not look authentic.”

This reportedly caused both women embarrassment as it was said in the hearing of many other shoppers. However, this could not be supported by phone recordings of the conversation between the plaintiffs and Ms Rogan.

Ciara Rogan in evidence said she did not use the word “authentic” but had closely examined the shoes to ensure they had not been worn or damaged and, as such, unsellable again. She then called her manager who told her “No receipt. No return.”

Sarah Anne Junior claimed to have received the shoes from her boyfriend as an anniversary gift, but in the wrong size. She was unable to produce a receipt which is a requirement under the store’s returns policy.

Judge Donohoe, having listened to the phone recordings, found Ms Rogan instead sounded ’eminently helpful and reasonable’ while protecting her employer’s merchandise.

“Overall, it is evident that the mother caused a scene and imputed the word mock into the verbal exchange between her and a staff member in the shop,” Judge O’Donohoe said.

An order of costs was made against both plaintiffs.