Adidas slams Marc Jacobs with a lawsuit

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April 15, 2015 2:40 PM

Adidas sues Marc Jacobs for trademark infringement and the design in question actually raises an eyebrow...

The design that sparked copyright infringement: The tracksuit from Marc by Marc Jacobs (left) and a similarly-striped tracksuit from Adidas

Adidas is taking on Marc Jacobs for selling tracksuits with four stripes running down the arms, a design they say comes too close to the brand's signature three stripe motif.

In a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court in Oregon, Adidas accused Marc Jacobs of trademark infringement, deceptive trade practices and unfair competition.

The designs causing a stir are sweaters from Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley's designs for Marc by Marc Jacobs (not the main line) which features four stripes instead of three that Adidas is known for but they are so similar it's easy to see why Adidas decided to sue the brand.

Adidas pointed out that Marc Jacobs could mislead consumers into thinking they are looking at Adidas' designs.

The brand through Fashionista.com revealed, "This is particularly damaging with respect to those people who perceive a defect or lack of quality in Marc Jacobs’s products".

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