Sportswear brand Adidas has been defeated in a trademark infringement case against American luxury fashion brand Thom Browne. Adidas claimed the trademark that Thom Browne’s four stripes were similar to its three stripes. Along with this, Adidas had demanded $7.8 million i.e. more than Rs 63 crore as damages. However, now a New York jury has ruled in favor of Thom Browne.
What Thom Browne said: According to the BBC report, Thom Browne told the court that there is no similarity between the trademarks of the two companies. The number of stripes of both the companies is different. Three stripes are a common feature in Adidas designs while Thom Browne has a different stripe design. Whereas, Thom Browne makes clothes for elite customers. Additionally, the fashion brand’s lawyers insisted that the stripes constitute a distinctive pattern.
Controversy for a long time: Let us tell you that this controversy dates back to 15 years ago, when Thom Browne used a three-stripe pattern on a jacket in 2007. This was the time when Adidas protested for the first time regarding the trademark. Thom Browne dropped this trademark and switched to a four-stripe pattern. Adidas did not oppose it for years, but in 2018, Adidas once again objected to this trademark of Thom Browne.
