명품 리폼 제품에 대한 상표권 침해 판단과 지속가능한 소비의 조화

The luxury goods market has evolved beyond a niche for select consumers into a sector of broad public interest, generating significant sales volume. As consumers increasingly seek to prolong the use of high-end products, reforming or upcycling luxury items has become common. Many perceive this act as a matter of personal autonomy. However, such reform activities raise critical legal concerns under trade- mark law. In particular, when the reform process substantially alters the original product while retaining the visible trademark, the source- identifying function of the mark may be compromised, potentially constituting trademark infringement. This paper focuses on the legal boundaries of luxury product reforming by analyzing key issues such as the principle of trademark exhaustion and the likelihood of confusion, with reference to the Louis Vuitton reform case in Korea. It further explores a balanced legal interpretation that accounts for environmental value and consumer rights. As institutional alternatives, the study proposes allowing luxury brand owners to provide official reform services or mandating clear labeling of reformed products. These approaches aim to harmonize the legal protection of trademarks with the promotion of sustainable consumption, thereby serving the broader public interest.