Ivanka Trump must give a deposition in a lawsuit by an Italian shoemaker claiming her fashion label copied its designs, a federal judge has ruled.

As we reported this time last year, the shoe company Aquazurra Italia filed a lawsuit against Ivanka Trump and her company. They claims the brand has produced cheaper knockoffs of Aquazurra’s designs.

They say Ivanka Trump brand’s “Hettie” looks WAY too much like their “Wild Things” shoe. Yes, we have eyes, ANYONE can see that.

Trump’s lawyers have denied those allegations and say the Aquazurra design lacks the “distinctiveness” it would need to be protected by intellectual property laws. Her lawyers have also say the lawsuit was a publicity stunt.

Trump stepped down from her role at her namesake company shortly before Daddy was inaugurated and currently serves in an unpaid role in the White House as an adviser to the President.

Ivanka’s lawyers argued that she should not be deposed because she

“does not possess any unique information”

about the design process for the shoes in question. (In other words SHE didn’t design them.)

Forcing Ivanka Trump to be deposed,

“would be an unnecessary distraction and would interfere with her ability to perform her duties at the White House.”

But U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest, who is overseeing the case denied that request in a ruling Friday.
Forrest wrote that Ivanka Trump’s deposition is necessary because she was a company executive during the time the shoes were made and had “high-level, authoritative, personal involvement” in the company.

The judge also wrote that

“Ms. Trump’s public statements regarding active and comprehensive brand management lead to a reasonable inference that the shoe at issue would not have been released without her approval.”

Forrest ruled that Trump’s deposition must be kept to under two hours and done in Washington, D.C., where she currently resides. It must be completed by October, the judge said.

(via CNN)