Browne wins battle of stripes
Fashion designer victorious over sportswear giant Adidas
Smiling, fashion designer Thom Browne emerged from a New York courthouse Thursday victorious over sportswear giant Adidas in a grand battle over signature stripes.
Browne told the Associated Press that he hopes the preservation of his striped designs on luxury athletic clothing and accessories inspires others whose work is challenged by larger clothing producers.
“It was important to fight and tell my story,” Browne told the Associated Press after a Manhattan federal court jury sided with him. Adidas had claimed that the striped designs used by Thom Browne Inc. were too similar to its own three stripes.
“And I think it’s more important and bigger than me, because I think I was fighting for every designer that creates something and has a bigger company come after them later,” he said.
Adidas indicated in a statement that their fight might go on.
“We are disappointed with the verdict and will continue to vigilantly enforce our intellectual property, including filing any appropriate appeals,” Rich Efrus, an Adidas spokesperson, wrote in an email. Browne, a highly creative designer known for his theatrical runway shows, began selling clothing in 2001 at a boutique in Manhattan’s West Village. He has since become hugely successful, especially after a 2018 deal with luxury brand Zegna. His company is now featured in over 300 locations worldwide, including Tokyo, London, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Milan.
Adidas sued Browne in June 2021, saying his “Four-Bar Signature” — along with other products featuring parallel stripes on activewear including T-shirts, sweatpants and hoodies — infringed on its own well-known trademark.