Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) November 14,2026Los Angeles – Belgian printing and publishing company Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV has filed a civil lawsuit against Los Angeles-based fashion brand Citizens of Humanity, LLC in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The complaint alleges breach of contract and seeks recovery of $108,213.77 for unpaid printing, lithography, and international shipping services provided for custom retail-event publications. Citizens of Humanity has denied liability and filed a cross-complaint asserting misrepresentation and concealment claims, with all allegations remaining to be adjudicated by the court.
Civil Complaint Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court
Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV, a public limited company registered in Belgium, lodged its formal civil complaint against Citizens of Humanity, LLC in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles, at the Norwalk Courthouse. The litigation is docketed under case number 26NWCV02032.
According to court filings and a press statement distributed via EIN Presswire on 13 November 2026, the dispute arises from a commercial agreement to produce and distribute custom hardcover books commissioned by the Los Angeles-based premium denim label. Die Keure alleges that it fulfilled its contractual obligations by completing the printing and lithography work and shipping the finished volumes to designated locations in the United States and abroad, yet has not received payment for services valued at $108,213.77.
The plaintiff is represented in the California proceedings by attorneys Marco Castellon and Jeffrey C. Mayes of the law firm Druven PC.
Legal Claims and Allegations in the Commercial Dispute
Claims Asserted by Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV
In its civil complaint, Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV asserts four primary causes of action against Citizens of Humanity, LLC:
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Breach of contract: Alleging that the fashion brand failed to honour payment obligations after accepting delivery of the completed publication project.
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Breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing: Contending that the defendant acted in a manner that deprived the plaintiff of the expected financial benefits of their commercial arrangement.
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Account stated: Asserting that an agreed balance of $108,213.77 remains due and owing following the invoicing and delivery of the goods.
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Unjust enrichment: Seeking restitution on the grounds that the fashion label received, retained, and utilised the custom hardcover publications for its retail-event programme without compensating the producer.
Court filings state that the books were produced as premium hardcover publications designed for use in brand-focused retail events rather than routine internal administrative operations.
In a statement accompanying the announcement of the litigation, Die Keure’s legal counsel Jeffrey C. Mayes addressed the commercial context of supplier agreements in the fashion sector. “Companies devote enormous attention to the image they present to consumers,” Mayes said. “That image depends on the work of publishers, printers, photographers, manufacturers, logistics providers, and countless other businesses operating behind the scenes. The question raised by this case is whether the values promoted in public communications are also reflected in commercial conduct.”
Cross-Complaint and Response from Citizens of Humanity
Citizens of Humanity, LLC has formally denied liability in response to the lawsuit and has filed a cross-complaint against Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV in the same proceeding.
According to summaries of the court filings, Citizens of Humanity’s cross-complaint acknowledges that an agreement existed for Die Keure to produce hardcover books for the brand’s retail-event programme. However, the Los Angeles-based apparel company asserts four counter-claims against the Belgian publisher:
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Breach of contract
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Intentional misrepresentation
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Negligent misrepresentation
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Fraudulent concealment
Die Keure disputes the allegations set out in Citizens of Humanity’s cross-complaint. Both the primary complaint and the cross-complaint remain pending before the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and no judicial findings of liability have been issued.
Corporate Values and Supplier Relations Context
A central theme highlighted in Die Keure’s public filing announcement concerns the relationship between corporate branding statements and supplier payment practices. According to Citizens of Humanity’s corporate communications on its official website, the denim brand frames its business operations around core principles including integrity, responsibility, sustainability, community engagement, philanthropy, commitment to quality without compromise, and investment in a better future.
Die Keure’s statement contends that suppliers, printers, artists, and logistics providers incur substantial upfront production and material expenses prior to delivering bespoke marketing and retail materials. When payment disputes arise following delivery, suppliers face the financial burden of completed production work while the commissioning brand holds the finished goods. Through its civil action, the Belgian publisher seeks judicial resolution of the $108,213.77 balance and asserts that corporate responsibility encompasses commercial conduct toward third-party partners.
Background on the Parties and Legal Representatives
Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV
Headquartered in Bruges, Belgium, with offices in New York City, Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV is a publishing and printing group specialising in high-quality printing, graphic design, and lithography services. Originally founded after the Second World War as a government printing office, the enterprise expanded in the early 1960s to establish a dedicated legal publishing division. Alongside its commercial printing and graphic design studio operations, Die Keure publishes academic textbooks and reference works primarily focused on the fields of law and economics.
Citizens of Humanity, LLC
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Citizens of Humanity, LLC is a premium denim and apparel label operating in domestic and international retail markets. The company distributes its collections through specialty boutiques, department stores, and direct-to-consumer retail channels, frequently utilising editorial publications and experiential retail events as part of its brand presentation.
Legal Representation and Communications Advisory
In the Los Angeles County Superior Court proceedings, Drukkerij-Uitgeverij die Keure NV is represented by Marco Castellon and Jeffrey C. Mayes of Druven PC, based in Los Angeles, California. Public relations and strategic communications surrounding the filing are handled by Druven Advocacy, an international strategic consultancy operating across Los Angeles, Brussels, and Mexico City that advises organisations on legal, regulatory, and public affairs matters.
