Adidas sues Australian fashion label White Fox over four-stripe design

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 08:31 · Archive

Adidas is suing Sydney-based fashion retailer White Fox, claiming its four-striped clothing design infringes its trademarked three-stripe logo.

Adidas is suing Sydney-based fast-fashion retailer White Fox in Australia's Federal Court, claiming that White Fox's four-striped clothing design infringes its trademarked three-stripe logo. Adidas says it has repeatedly asked White Fox to stop selling and promoting the striped clothes since March, but the company refused.

In written statements, Adidas argues that White Fox's designs are 'substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar' to its trademark. The three-striped design has been trademarked in Australia since 1957 and has a 'substantial and valuable reputation', Adidas claims. Barrister Patrick Flynn SC for Adidas told the court that White Fox intended to 'trade off our reputation', pointing to images of White Fox-endorsed influencers wearing the four-stripe shorts alongside genuine Adidas shoes.

White Fox's lawyers denied any breach of trademark. The company intends to argue that other prominent Australian brands such as Cotton On, Sportscraft and Glassons also sell clothes with similar decorative stripes. White Fox is a popular online retailer with teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK and the US. A three to four-day trial is expected to take place early next year.

How it is being reported

• Adidas sues White Fox over its four-stripe design - arguing it is too easily confused with sports giant's trademark three-stripe lookThe sports giant has long been known for its vertical three stripes on their clothes, but the fast-fashion Australian label has launched trousers with four stripes.Daily Mail · 9 Oct, 08:10
• Adidas sues Australian label White Fox over four stripes designThe German sportswear brand wants the Sydney-based label to stop selling the clothes and pay damages.BBC News · 8 Oct, 19:17

In this story: Adidas · White Fox · Australia · Sydney · Cotton On · Sportscraft · Glassons

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