Global sportswear brand Adidas has filed a trademark infringement claim against high-end fashion house Marc Jacobs.
Adidas argued that the design used by its competitor on some of its luxury jumpers, which incorporates a four-stripe pattern, infringes on a distinct design that closely resembles Adidas’s three-stripe pattern.
Adidas filed the lawsuit to protect its rights in the US District Court in Oregon, claiming that Marc Jacobs was guilty of trademark infringement and dilution, creating unfair competition and actively deploying deceptive trade practices.
In a statement regarding the situation, Adidas said that Marc Jacobs “intentionally adopted and used confusingly similar imitations of the three-stripe mark knowing that they would mislead and deceive consumers into believing that the apparel was produced, authorized, or licensed by Adidas, or that the apparel originated from Adidas.
“This is particularly damaging with respect to those people who perceive a defect or lack of quality in Marc Jacobs’s products.
“By causing a likelihood of confusion, mistake, and deception, Marc Jacobs is inflicting irreparable harm on the goodwill symbolized by the three-stripe mark and the reputation for quality that it embodies.”
The jumpers at the heart of the legal conflict were designed for the Marc by Marc Jacobs autumn/winter 2014 collection.
The lawsuit follows Adidas’s recent case against French fashion house Isabel Marant in February, in which it claimed that the latter’s activities were detrimental to its brand.
Adidas recently entered the high-end fashion market following its partnership with Yohji Yamamoto, meaning that Marc Jacobs is now one if its direct competitors.