Trademark news and archive

Burberry check trademark rejected for web3 virtual goods

Burberry applied to trademark its signature check for the metaverse, but faced a partial rejection. The European Union Trademark Office (EUIPO) did not accept Burberry’s iconic red, black and white stripes on a beige background, as being sufficiently ‘distinct’ for certain product classes. Burberry intended to trademark goods in class 9, which...

Business

Yves Saint Laurent files series of metaverse trademarks

Yves Saint Laurent has filed for a number of trademark applications hinting that the French luxury brand could be next in line to join the metaverse. According to the trademark applications, YSL is setting out to cover its name and logo within the realm of non-fungible token (NFT) and metaverse. The applications mainly centre around beauty and...

BusinessFeatured

Nike sues Bape for trademark infringement of multiple sneaker styles

Sportswear giant Nike has moved to sue its competitor Bape alleging that the Japanese brand’s footwear business “revolves around copying” its designs. In a court filing, Nike outlined the shoes in question, including its two styles of its Air Force 1, the Dunk and two Air Jordan 1 silhouettes. Imagery presented as part of the filing attempted to...

BusinessFeatured

Thom Browne wins trademark case against Adidas

Adidas has lost its trademark claim against Thom Browne, after a jury in Manhattan’s Southern District Court found there was no infringement of the luxury brand’s use of stripes. "We are pleased that the jury found that at no time did Thom Browne Inc. infringe on any of Adidas’ trademarks. For over 20 years now, Thom Browne has been a pioneering...

BusinessFeatured

The battle of the stripes continues: Adidas versus Thom Browne

In what is proving to be one of the fashion industry’s staunchest trademark battles, adidas is on a legal quest to protect its stripes, arguing Thom Browne’s four bars are too similar to its own three-stripe logo. The German sportswear giant and New York-based luxury brand, now owned by Zegna, have been at loggerheads over the use of stripes for...

Business

AAFA calls out Meta and Shopee for enabling counterfeiting

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has increased its pressure on US authorities as it continues to call for the implementation of policy changes and the establishment of consistent brand protection in regards to fighting counterfeits. As part of its campaign, AAFA has nominated Singaporean e-commerce company Shopee and Mark...

Fashion |

Chanel faces uphill battle trademarking its No. 5 fragrance bottle in the US

Chanel’s iconic No.5 fragrance is known the world over and is one of all time’s bestselling perfumes, having been founded 1921. The glass bottle it comes in - the unmistakably rectangular glass with bevelled sides - has been deemed less iconic by the US trademark office, who have so far refused to register its packaging as a trademark. Chanel’s...

FashionFeatured

Gucci lost a trademark battle in Japan against a parody brand

At first glance Gucci and Cuggl seems worlds away from overlapping in brand image and copyright. The former, a storied Italian luxury house with global reach, and the latter a small Japanese fashion start-up that parodies such luxury brands. They appear to have little in common until you spot the logo of the latter on a t-shirt with the bottom...

BusinessFeatured

Why western brands face intellectual property challenges in China

The jungle of intellectual property rights in China is full of horror stories. From trademark squatters, counterfeiters, parallel importers to brand owners fighting for the right to use their genuine names that were maliciously, yet legally, registered by others. Global fashion brands Dsquared2, Ice Iceberg, Disney Victoria’s Secret are just...

BusinessFeatured

Manolo Blahnik wins long-running trademark dispute in China

Manolo Blahnik has announced that it has won a trademark dispute in China following a 22-year legal battle. The British luxury brand initially filed a complaint with the China Trade Mark Office (CTMO) back in 2000 after an individual in the region registered a trademark application for ‘Manolo & Blahnik’ covering footwear. The CTMO dismissed the...

Business

Puma sues Brooks for trademark infringement and copying

Footwear giant Puma has launched a lawsuit against American sportswear brand Brooks for trademark infringement and copying. Germany-based Puma alleges Brooks is infringing the trademark it filed in December for the word ‘Nitro’, which it has incorporated into its design and attributes. Puma also accuses Brooks of copying its foam molding...

Business

Nike requests counterfeiting claims be added to StockX lawsuit while Hermès NFT case moves forward

Nike asked a federal judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday to add counterfeiting and false advertising claims to an existing trademark infringement lawsuit against the online secondary sneaker marketplace, StockX. According to reporting from Bloomberg, Nike legal representatives purchased four...