The Clinique La Prairie clinic and spa in Switzerland (see SB 06/1 p66) has filed a lawsuit alleging that the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is improperly profiting from its “name, goodwill and reputation”.

The lawsuit was filed at the New York State Supreme Court, US, and accuses the hotel company – which operates the La Prairie at The Ritz-Carlton Spa in New York City – of damage to reputation and trademark violation. The La Prairie at the Ritz-Carlton uses skincare products by La Prairie Inc – a separate company – in its ‘cellular’ treatments.

The lawsuit has asked the court to issue an injunction forbidding the hotel group from “using the name ‘La Prairie’ for the spa at the Ritz-Carlton, from referring to Clinique La Prairie in any way in connection with the spa, and from any use of the word ‘cellular’ in connection with any treatments done with... products at the Ritz-Carlton.”

Clinique La Prairie owner Armin Mattli said: “We believe the Ritz-Carlton is confusing consumers and leading customers to think they are getting Clinique La Prairie’s unique spa treatment and cellular therapy [called CLP Extract] at a New York hotel. This is not acceptable. No relationship exists between Clinique La Prairie and the Ritz-Carlton spa.”

CLP Extract – taken from the liver of a sheep’s foetus – has been shown to have a revitalising effect on normal cell ageing.