Luxury car manufacturer Bentley Motors has lost a trade mark battle against a Manchester-based clothing business.
The High Court ruled this week that the Volkswagen-owned car firm had infringed the rights of Bentley Clothing by using the Bentley motif on its own range of clothing merchandise.
The decision means that Bentley Motors will no longer be able to use its own name on its clothing range in the UK – regardless of whether it appears alongside its ubiquitous ‘wings’ logo.
According to reports, the manufacturer will also have to limit its clothing range to only “jackets, silk ties, caps and scarves”, as well as pay damages and costs to Bentley Clothing.
Bentley Motors said it would consider appealing the decision.
The dispute erupted more than two decades ago after Bentley Clothing co-owners Christopher and Bob Lees approached Bentley Motors over alleged trade mark infringement – although High Court action was only launched in 2017.
In retaliation, Bentley Motors had also attempted, unsuccessfully, to cancel the clothing firm’s trade mark rights at the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
Handing down the decision this week, High Court Judge Richard Hacon said: “My impression of Bentley Motors’ policy is … consistent with an intent to clear away Bentley Clothing’s right to protect the Bentley mark for clothing and headgear, and ultimately to extinguish Bentley Clothing’s right altogether”.
Commenting on the ruling, Christopher Lees said: “I could either let Volkswagen-owned Bentley Motors take from us what had been my family’s [business] since 1990, or spend 15 years and our life-savings fighting them.
“It’s been ruinous, financially and emotionally, and today’s decision is a huge relief.”
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