A Tokyo store owner was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of violating trademark rights by selling hair accessories made out of Louis Vuitton belt parts.
The accessories, made from parts of leather belts embossed with the Louis Vuitton logo, were sold for ¥7,990 at Shuji Matsumoto's store, Modern Times, in the Itabashi area last Friday.
The parts were pieces of leather that were cut off to adjust customers' belt lengths.
Matsumoto, 47, also sold cell phone straps and cigarette cases decorated with the logos of other foreign luxury brands by making use of wrapping ribbons bearing the brands' names.
Matsumoto reportedly told police he started making the products around 2007, when his girlfriend asked him if there was "something nice" at the store she could buy.
When the products proved popular, he decided to continue selling them, according to the police.
