Adidas lost a court case against Thom Browne over four-stripe design

• Thom Browne Inc.’s designs are not dominated by sportswear.
• Conflict between two businesses has been going on for more than 15 years.
• A New York jury decided in favour of Browne.

According to reports in the media, Adidas lost its legal battle to forbid a fashion designer from utilising a four-stripe pattern. The luxury brand Thom Browne Inc. claimed that the four stripes on its clothing were too similar to its three stripes, according to the sportswear giant.

According to Browne, among other things because his brand had a distinct number of stripes, consumers were unlikely to mix the two brands.

Adidas had intended to seek damages of more than $7.8 million, but a New York jury decided in favour of Browne.

Four horizontal, parallel stripes that circle the sleeve of a garment or, as frequently seen on the designer himself, a pair of socks, are a recurring motif in Browne’s creations.

Three stripes are a common feature in Adidas designs. The defence team for Browne positioned him as the underdog going up against a powerful corporation and contended that the two brands catered to different markets.

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 costs 680 pounds, while a polo shirt costs 270 pounds.

Additionally, Browne’s attorneys asserted that stripes constitute a typical pattern. Although Adidas first filed a lawsuit in 2021, the conflict between the two businesses has been going on for more than 15 years.

Adidas voiced their displeasure in 2007 when Thom Browne started adopting the three-stripe pattern on jackets. With the addition of a fourth stripe, Browne decided to discontinue utilising it.

Since then, Thom Browne Inc. has rapidly grown and is currently distributed in more than 300 places globally. Recently, the company has increased its production of athletic clothing.

Also Read

Adidas finds difficult to sell $530 million worth of Yeezy shoes

Adidas made $247 million in earnings from the split with Kanye West....