Adidas sues Australian label White Fox over four stripes design
Adidas has initiated a lawsuit against Australian fashion retailer White Fox, alleging that the brand's four-stripe design infringes on its iconic three-stripe trademark. Adidas is seeking damages and an injunction to stop the sale of the disputed clothing.
Why it matters
Trademark litigation between global giants and fast-fashion retailers is a common but significant aspect of brand protection and intellectual property law.
Image source, Federal Court of Australia By Lana Lam Sydney Published 28 minutes ago Adidas is suing Australian label White Fox for selling and advertising clothes with a four-striped design, arguing it is "deceptively similar" to the German brand's distinct logo.
The sportswear giant said it had repeatedly asked White Fox to stop selling and promoting the clothes since March, but the Sydney-based company refused.
The fast-fashion online retailer is popular with teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK and the US, and has relied on billboards, bus advertising and influencers - often university-aged - to grow its profile.
The Australian law firms representing Adidas and White Fox both declined to comment on the case, the first hearing due to begin on Friday.
In Federal Court documents, Adidas states that its three-striped design has a "substantial and valuable reputation" in Australia, where it has been trademarked since 1957.
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