Adidas suing Marc by Marc Jacobs for copyright infringement

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Apr 14, 2015

Adidas last week filed a lawsuit in the State of Oregon against Marc by Marc Jacobs over an alleged copyright infringement of the sports apparel brand’s ‘Three Stripe Mark’ logo.

The pieces in question by Marc Jacobs, from the brand’s AW14 collection, are sweaters that feature four stripes going down each sleeve. Adidas’ argument is that Marc Jacobs intentionally imitated the brand’s iconic track jacket design “knowing that they would mislead and deceive consumers into believing that the apparel was produced, authorized, or licensed by adidas, or that the apparel originated from adidas.”
 
Adidas began its claim by recounting the history of its use of the ‘Three Stripe Mark’ logo on brand apparel, in celebrity and sports endorsements, and in collaborations with designers including Yohji Yamamoto, Stella McCartney and Jeremy Scott.

Adidas continued its argument claiming, “By causing a likelihood of confusion, mistake, and deception, Marc Jacobs is inflicting irreparable harm on the goodwill symbolized by the Three-Stripe Mark and the reputation for quality that it embodies.”
 
Adidas recently accused Isabel Marant of infringement over Marant’s Bart low-top sneakers that resemble the brand’s longtime Stan Smith model.