The never-ending battle for three stripes is back again. Adidas is suing New York based designer Thom Browne for using the three stripes. The sporting goods giant says in a statement, “Despite Thom Browne’s knowledge of Adidas’s rights in the famous Three-Stripe Mark, Thom Browne has expanded its product offerings far beyond its formal wear and business attire and is now offering for sale and selling athletic-style apparel and footwear featuring two, three, or four parallel stripes in a manner that is confusingly similar to adidas’s Three-Stripe Mark.”
Since 1952 Adidas been using the three stripes logo on their shoes and later clothing. In 1994 it was granted a federal trademark. Thom Browne launched twenty years ago and today is majority-owned by Italy’s Ermenegildo Zegna Group. Adidas previously filed complaints against J. Crew, Forever 21, Sketchers and even Tesla. The company is currently asking to, “permanently enjoin Thom Browne from distributing, marketing or selling apparel and footwear using or bearing confusingly similar imitations of the Adidas Three-Stripe Mark.”
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