Thom Browne wins the trademark war over Adidas stripes

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Thom Browne wins the trademark war over Adidas stripes

Adidas, a sportswear company, is defeated in a trademark infringement case against Thom Browne Inc., an American luxury clothing company. According to a BBC article, Adidas had argued that Thom Browne’s 4 stripes were too close to its three stripes. According to Browne, his brand has a specific amount of stripes, making it unlikely that customers would confuse it with another brand. A New York jury sided with Browne when Adidas had sought more than $7.8 million (Rs 63 crore) in damages.

Adidas designs frequently have three stripes, while Browne’s work has four horizontal, parallel stripes that wrap around the sleeve of a garment.

The legal team representing Browne argued that the two names served separate markets and cast him as the underdog facing out against a strong company. According to the BBC, Thom Browne Inc. creates high-end apparel for rich clients, and athletics does not dominate the company’s designs. According to the clothing retailer’s lawyers, stripes are a common motif.

by - Mehmood Azim