Adidas files lawsuit against Thom Browne over trademark violation

One of the largest sportswear manufacturers in the world, Adidas has initiated a legal battle with Thom Browne, an American luxury fashion house over trademark violation.

The former has claimed that Browne’s use of parallel stripes infringes the copyright of its signature three-stripe branding.

According to reports, Adidas filed a lawsuit against Browne, two years ago, in June 2021 citing that the latter’s four-stripe designs are “confusingly similar” to its three-stripe mark and violate the company’s trademark. 

It argued that “despite Thom Browne’s knowledge of  rights in the famous three-stripe mark,” the fashion house “has expanded its product offerings far formal wear and business attire speciality.”

It claimed that Browne is now “selling athletic-style apparel and footwear featuring two, three or four parallel stripes in a manner that is confusingly similar to Adidas’ three-stripe mark.”

Women’s Wear Daily quoted Adidas’ attorney R Charles Henn Jr of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP saying that Adidas is seeking $867,225 USD in damages for would-be licensing fees and an additional $7 million USD in profits that the New York-based brand allegedly made from products with stripes