Adidas and Thom Browne continue their legal dispute over competing striped trademarks in London’s High Court. Learn about the history and latest developments in this global trademark battle.
Bollywood Fever: Athletic wear giant Adidas and fashion house Thom Browne resumed their legal battle on Wednesday in London’s High Court, marking the latest round in a global dispute centered on their competing striped trademarks.
Thom Browne, a New York designer known for using a four-bar stripe pattern, sued Adidas in London in 2021, seeking to revoke several of Adidas’ trademarks that feature its iconic three-stripe motif. Thom Browne, which shifted from a three-bar pattern to four in 2007 following Adidas’ complaints, argues that Adidas is attempting to monopolize the use of stripes on clothing.
Adidas is countersuing Thom Browne for allegedly infringing on its trademarks by selling leisure and sportswear with four stripes. The sportswear giant accuses Thom Browne of exploiting Adidas’ reputation and brand image.
This isn’t the first legal clash between the two companies. In the United States, a jury rejected Adidas’ trademark lawsuit against Thom Browne last year, a decision upheld on appeal in May. Thom Browne is also pursuing separate trademark litigation against Adidas in the Netherlands and at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.
During the London trial, Thom Browne’s lawyer, Philip Roberts, argued that Adidas had used certain trademarks as “Trojan horses” to prevent other companies from using stripes on their products. Roberts contended in court filings that “the breadth of Adidas’ asserted monopoly threatens the basic freedom of fashion designers to design clothing in the manner they wish.”
On the other hand, Adidas’ lawyer, Charlotte May, claimed that Thom Browne’s 2020 launch of a sportswear range marked a tipping point that “strikes at the heart of the Adidas business.” She highlighted collaborations with NBA star LeBron James and a partnership with Spanish soccer team Barcelona, where Adidas-sponsored player Lionel Messi was at the club, as evidence that “Thom Browne intend to continue their encroachment into sportswear and sports marketing.
The trial, which features Thom Browne’s eponymous founder watching from the court, is expected to conclude next week. The outcome could have significant implications for the future use of striped motifs in fashion and sportswear.
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