Adidas fails to overturn ruling in stripes trademark dispute
Partner Jim Dennis comments on the Court of Appeal dismissing Adidas' appeal in its trademark dispute with designer Thom Browne, including specific trademark attempts over stripes running vertically along the length of clothing and shoes, in World Intellectual Property Review.
“Adidas has zealously protected its “three-stripe” logo for many decades, using its financial muscle to prevent designers from using any number of stripes (not just three) on clothing and footwear. Thom Browne - who uses four stripes - has successfully resisted Adidas’s overreach and this Court of Appeal judgment will be seen as a significant blow in favour of clothing and sportswear designers who wish to use such simple motifs.”
Jim’s comments were published in World Intellectual Property Review, 24 October 2025, and can be found here.
