Marc Jacobs is feeling the wrath of adidas.
On Wednesday, the sportswear giant filed a lawsuit against the luxury brand, claiming it released a collection of sweaters with details that closely resembled its iconic three-stripe design.
The lawsuit states that the knits (shown below) feature four parallel lines down the sleeves, which will likely be mistaken for the adidas trademark.
1.
“Marc Jacobs’ use of confusingly similar imitations of Adidas’ Three-Stripe Mark is likely to deceive, confuse, and mislead purchasers and prospective purchasers into believing that the apparel sold by Marc Jacobs is manufactured by, authorized by, or in some manner associated with adidas, which it is not,” the lawsuit said. “The likelihood of confusion, mistake, and deception engendered by Marc Jacobs’s infringement and dilution of Adidas’ mark is causing irreparable harm to the goodwill symbolized by the Three-Stripe Mark and the reputation for quality that it embodies.”
The lawsuit also says that adidas has spent millions of dollars to promote its three-stripe mark, making it instantly recognizable around the world. The company is seeking monetary or statutory damages and an injunction to halt the production and selling of the sweaters.
Marc Jacobs has yet to release a statement.
[via Law360]
