Trademarks

CAPEZIO Secures Another Court Victory Against Unauthorized Use of Its Trademark in Brazil; Operation Results in Seizure of Products and Closure of Com

By Dannemann Siemsen

After nearly three decades of litigation, a new operation in São Paulo reinforces efforts to combat the unauthorized exploitation of the commercial identity of the renowned international dancewear brand.

CAPEZIO, one of the world's most established brands of dance shoes, apparel, and accessories, has secured an important victory before the Brazilian courts. On October 22, 2026, a search and seizure operation conducted in São Paulo resulted in the seizure of approximately 2,000 infringing products and the sealing of a commercial establishment in the Ipiranga neighborhood, with the keys placed in court custody to prevent the resumption of unlawful activities at the premises.

The measure represents a new development in a legal dispute that began in 1998. Founded in New York in 1887, CAPEZIO has faced companies belonging to the Rommel & Halpe/Ballet Brasil group in Brazil, which unlawfully reproduced its trademark and the well-known ballerina figure (), presenting themselves to the market as if they were the American company itself. The Brazilian Federal Courts recognized that these practices had been carried out in bad faith and ordered the cancellation of trademark registrations improperly obtained by the Brazilian companies, in proceedings handled by the law firm Dannemann Siemsen.

As the infringements continued, a new lawsuit was filed in 2023 before the São Paulo State Courts, resulting in decisions ordering the cessation of the unlawful practices and recognizing CAPEZIO's right to compensation. Failure to comply with the court orders led, in April 2024, to a search and seizure operation at establishments located in Osvaldo Cruz, in the interior of São Paulo State, and in the Ipiranga neighborhood of São Paulo City. On that occasion, more than 500,000 items were seized, including over 10,000 ballet shoes, as well as clothing, accessories, labels, and packaging. The operation was reported by the Brazilian legal news portal Migalhas (https://www.migalhas.com.br/quentes/406649/busca-em-fabrica-pirata-da-capezio-apreende-mais-de-10-mil-sapatilhas).

Even after this significant seizure and the court's judgment becoming final and unappealable, the infringements persisted. Further investigations carried out by CAPEZIO’s lawyers have confirmed that the irregularities are continuing, prompting Dannemann Siemsen, through its lawyers Roberta Calazans, Caio Richa and Davi Franco, to apply to the 2nd Commercial and Arbitration Disputes Court of São Paulo for stricter measures.

In light of the evidence of noncompliance, the Court ordered a new search and seizure operation, expressly authorizing the sealing of the establishment if further infringements were identified. The order was enforced on October 22, 2026, resulting in the seizure of approximately 2,000 products and the closure of the establishment in Ipiranga. The measure targeted not only the infringing goods but also the physical premises used to continue the infringing activities.

The decision represents an important milestone in the protection of intellectual property rights in Brazil, demonstrating the consequences of unauthorized trademark use and repeated failure to comply with court orders.

For CAPEZIO, which has been strengthening its presence in the Brazilian market, the outcome reaffirms its commitment to protecting its commercial identity and ensuring that consumers and dance professionals can identify products of legitimate origin.

Photographs of the operations, court documents, and interviews with the attorneys responsible for the case may be made available to the press, subject to applicable procedural restrictions.