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Trademarks Fashion Industry Trade Dress

A Trademark is a legally registered distinctive mark or sign which identifies goods, products or services that originate or are associated with a particular person or enterprise . A typical example of a trademark... more +
A Trademark is a legally registered distinctive mark or sign which identifies goods, products or services that originate or are associated with a particular person or enterprise . A typical example of a trademark would be a company's logo such as the Nike "Check" or McDonald's "Golden Arches."  less -
Proskauer Rose LLP

Three Point Shot - August 2025

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Nike and Sneaker Customizer Lace Up a Settlement - On June 18, 2025, Nike, Inc. (“Nike”) and Dominic Ciambrone (“Ciambrone”), founder of the shoe customization outfit, The Shoe Surgeon, entered into a confidential...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

To Catch A Fashion Thief: Trend Chasing or IP Infringement?

Fighting knock-offs in the fashion industry is notoriously difficult. Copyright, trademark, and trade dress laws offer some protection for branding and marketing materials used to sell fashion products, as well as for...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Shoe Dupes Walk a Fine Line After Recent IP Infringement Case

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Dupes of original branded items present significant intellectual property (IP) challenges in the fashion industry. Not all fashion products are entitled to IP protection and perceived similarities between products do not...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Workin’ for a Birkin? The “Wirkin” Bag and Clever IP Protection

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If you’re “wirkin” to save up the money for a BIRKIN bag, you may be waiting a long time. And it may be just as hard to get an imitation version, based on the recent shutdown of a couple of foreign manufacturers’ attempts at...more

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Can Significant Sales Be the Fast Track to Trade Dress Protection? - Kattison Avenue/Katten Kattwalk | Issue 3

When a retail brand has a consistent, unique look and seeks enforcement against a too-similar competitor or a brash counterfeiter, trade dress protection under the Lanham Act provides the muscle. But part of what makes trade...more

Pierce Atwood LLP

IP Rights in Virtual Fashion: Lessons Learned in 2022 and Unanswered Questions

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There was a lot of talk and much hype about the “metaverse” in 2022. While some were skeptical and stayed on the sidelines to watch, many companies began offering virtual counterparts to their real-world products for use by...more

Knobbe Martens

Alley-Oop or Flagrant Foul? Nike Launches Shot Against Supplier of Alleged Fake Sneakers

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International sportswear company Nike filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles-based manufacturer alleged to have produced thousands of inauthentic Nike® Dunk®-inspired sneakers. Interestingly, the lawsuit was filed shortly...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Making Your Mark

Cultural and Intellectual Property Appropriation: Disputes Over Culturally-Inspired Fashions

If you haven’t heard already, New York Fashion Week is here! As usual, a lineup of awe-inspiring shows is expected to roll out over the next several days, as it does every September and February, highlighting the latest...more

Knobbe Martens

The Crown Jewels: How to Protect Your Jewelry Designs

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Knock-offs and ‘copycat’ designs are nothing new to the fashion world. The rising demand for “fast fashion” and bargain hunting alike make knock-offs particularly attractive to the consumer’s insatiable appetite. This trend...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Federal Circuit Kicks Chuck Taylor Case Back to ITC

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In the latest chapter of a long-running trademark dispute involving the outsole used by Converse, Inc. with its well-known CHUCK TAYLOR shoes, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has issued a ruling vacating an...more

Knobbe Martens

Loves me not: Wholesale Jewelry, Inc. Hit with Infringement of Cartier Trademarks and LOVE Collection Trade Dress

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On July 18, 2018 the well-known luxury goods company, Cartier International AG and Cartier, a division of Richemont North America Inc. (collectively, “Cartier” or “Plaintiffs”) filed suit in the United States District Court...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

“Sleevey Wonders” are “Arm Tight” in California Lawsuit

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The women’s hosiery powerhouse, Spanx, is being sued for allegedly copying designs of a small shapewear company (R and A Synergy, LLC, v. Spanx, Inc., (C.D. Cal. 2017)). In the Complaint filed on December 21, 2017 in the...more

Knobbe Martens

The Top Hits: Fashion Cases with a Big Impact

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Over the last year, there have been some significant trademark and copyright cases in the fashion industry. Below are summaries of recent cases all brand owners should know and understand. These cases touch on important...more

Knobbe Martens

Have You Been Duped?

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In the fashion and beauty world, the copying of higher-priced brands is widespread. While in fashion, the term for copies of designer products is “knockoffs,” in beauty, the term is “dupes.” Whether it is a colloquial use of...more

Knobbe Martens

These Boots Are Made For Walkin’: Trade Dress and the Distinctive Look of a Boot Sole

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Airwair, the owner of the Dr. Martens brand, recently launched a series of lawsuits in the Northern District of California to enforce the trade dress of its “iconic boots and shoes.” One lawsuit was filed in October against...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Second Circuit Upholds Parody Defense, Tosses Louis Vuitton’s Trademark Suit

In late December, the Second Circuit issued a ruling in Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A., v. My Other Bag, Inc., affirming the district court’s grant of summary judgment for claims of trademark infringement and dilution of a...more

Akerman LLP - Marks, Works & Secrets

Trade Dress Claim Based on Shoe’s Rectangular Metal Toe Plate Booted by SDNY

The Southern District of New York recently booted shoe manufacturer LVL XIII Brands, Inc.’s trade dress infringement suit against Louis Vuitton Malletier S.A. in LVL XIII Brands, Inc. v. Louis Vuitton Malletier S.A.. At issue...more

McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP

Trademark Functionality and Fashion – Tips for Clients

Trademark protection is very important in the fashion industry. The ability to protect certain logos and design features may determine the success of a fashion designer’s business. Thus, it is crucial to understand how to...more

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