Adidas has brought a lawsuit against White Fox, the Australian fast‑fashion label, over a four‑stripe design that the sportswear giant claims is deceptive and infringes its iconic three‑stripe trademark.
White Fox, founded in 2013 by a Greek‑Australian couple, sells a range of leggings, sweatpants and fashion items that prominently feature the four‑stripe motif. The brand has been marketed through billboards, bus‑stop ads and influencers, especially targeting university‑aged audiences in Australia, the UK and the US.
Adidas, which has registered the three‑stripe mark in Australia since 1957, says it has repeatedly asked White Fox to stop selling and advertising its four‑stripe apparel since March, but the Sydney company has ignored the request.
Evidence supplied to the court includes side‑by‑side shots of Adidas sneakers and White Fox pieces, billboards with four stripes, and an online listing where a person wearing pink Adidas shoes models White Fox socks. Adidas further claims that White Fox altered images of the shoes to remove its stripes, thereby tricking consumers into thinking the two brands are linked.
The lawsuit could see White Fox order to pay damages including the profit it earned from the four‑stripe product line, interest and court costs. This case follows a 2013 Australian ruling where Adidas prevailed against Pacific Brands for a similar four‑stripe infringement.
