The court announced its decision in favour of Thom Browne Inc. on the sportswear company's iconic three-stripe design put an end to the 15-year-old legal dispute.
Digital Desk: Clothes and sportswear company Adidas lost the legal battle with a designer called Thom Browne years after the case was first filed involving its renowned three-stripe logo, which has been present on all of its clothing and merchandise for many years.
The court's Friday decision in favour of Thom Browne Inc. on the sportswear company's iconic three-stripe design put an end to the 15-year-old legal dispute.
According to the BBC, the sportswear giant claimed that Thom Browne Inc.'s four stripes were too similar to its three stripes. Browne said that because he had a different number of stripes from the other brand, among other things, consumers were unlikely to mix the two.
Adidas had intended to seek damages of more than $7.8 million, but a New York jury decided in favour of Browne. According to Adidas, customers may mistake the logos of the two businesses, which might further hurt sales.
What is Adidas vs Thom Browne case?
Adidas challenged fashion designer Thom Browne and his clothes line over 15 years ago, claiming that the company's logo is too similar to that of the well-known sportswear brand. In this case, the company decided to sue Browne for damages.
According to the BBC, Browne's creations usually have four horizontal, parallel stripes encircling the sleeve of a shirt or sock, as frequently seen on the designer himself. Three stripes are a common feature in Adidas designs.
The judges ultimately decided in favour of Thom Browne and his legal team, who had positioned themselves as an underdog company willing to compete against a huge clothing juggernaut. They did this by arguing that the two businesses serve distinct types of customers.
Thom Browne Inc.'s designs are not dominated by sportswear, and its target market is affluent consumers. For instance, a pair of women's compression leggings cost 680 pounds, while a polo shirt costs 270 pounds.
Should Adidas change its logo?
There is no need for Adidas to change its logo, the court ruled in its ruling. If the court does not rule in its favour, it may decide to do so in the future if it still thinks the similarities to Thom Browne may lead to confusion.
The court, however, ruled that Adidas could not demand that Thom Browne Inc. change its company logo because doing so would not be likely to confuse either brand's target market.
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