Thom Browne wins lawsuit against Adidas over use of stripes

Thom Browne can hold his streak. This was the verdict of a jury after a nine-day trial. Adidas sued the luxury brand in New York, arguing that Brown imitated the brand’s sports lines.

Tom Brown vs. Adidas

Adidas sought approximately $8 million in damages and profits following Thom Browne’s appearance Striped clothes. According to the sports brand, this was a violation of its Three-Stripe trademark: the three stripes that Adidas has patented. According to Adidas, Thom Browne’s designs may cause confusion among the general public. After the two brands failed to reach a settlement, they appeared in court on January 3.

Tom Brown’s attorney, Robert T. Maldonado, on the case, arguing that the sportswear giant doesn’t have stripes. The American designer also spoke out in the lawsuit. In his testimony, he talked about his love for the sport and the creation of his brand. He is also said to have spoken to the CEO of Adidas at the time in 2007 about using three stripes in his designs. After their phone conversation, the designer said he turned to four-stripe designs. “The last thing I wanted was to get into a fight with a big company like Adidas,” he testified.