Asia Fashion Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 5 Week of 10 March 2025
(1) Adidas Sues Fashion Company for Infringing on Three‑Stripe Mark
Adidas has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Fashion Nova, claiming that the California-based fast-fashion retailer is selling products that closely resemble its iconic three-stripe mark, despite a previous settlement requiring Fashion Nova to discontinue such designs.
(2) US jury finds Lululemon’s athletic shoes violate Nike’s patent rights
A New York federal court jury awarded US$355,450 in damages to Nike as a reasonable royalty on Lululemon’s sales.
(3) Nearly 70% of Southeast Asia online consumers bought Hong Kong products
A survey revealed that over two-thirds of online consumers in Southeast Asia bought Hong Kong products last year, with fashion accounting for 38% of purchases.
(4) Purple Style Labs, Luxury Fashion Brand That Leased Retail Space That Housed Zara, Raises US$40 Million
Purple Style Labs Fundraising: The fresh capital will be deployed towards expanding the Mumbai-headquartered firm’s retail footprint and strengthening its omni-channel capabilities.
(1) Adidas Sues Fashion Company for Infringing on Three‑Stripe Mark
(Photo Credit: The Fashion Law)
Adidas has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Fashion Nova, a California-based fast-fashion retailer, alleging that the fast fashion company’s products feature designs that closely resemble its iconic three-stripe mark. The complaint accuses Fashion Nova of various claims, including infringement and unfair competition, highlighting the company’s history of disregarding the intellectual property of others.
This is not the first legal confrontation between the two brands; Adidas previously reached a settlement with Fashion Nova in 2022, which required the company to stop selling products that imitated the three-stripe design. However, Adidas claims that Fashion Nova has resumed selling similar designs and has introduced a new line of apparel and footwear that also infringes upon its trademark. The lawsuit includes evidence of Fashion Nova items that allegedly use variations of stripes that could confuse consumers.
Adidas is seeking an injunction to prevent Fashion Nova from selling these allegedly infringing items. The case underscores Adidas’s ongoing efforts to protect its brand and the potential impact of trademark infringement on its endorsements with high-profile athletes and celebrities. Fashion Nova has yet to respond to the allegations but previously countered a similar lawsuit by claiming that Adidas was over-policing its trademarks.
News Source: https://www.sportico.com/law/analysis/2025/adidas-lawsuit-fashion-nova-three-stripe-mark-1234842270/
(2) US jury finds Lululemon’s athletic shoes violate Nike’s patent rights
(Photo Credit: pio3/ Shutterstock)
Nike has achieved a legal victory in a patent infringement case against Lululemon, with a New York federal court jury ruling in favour of Nike and awarding the company US$355,450. The jury found that Lululemon’s athletic footwear, specifically its Chargefeel, Strongfeel, and Blissfeel lines, infringed upon Nike’s patented sneaker technology, the “749 patent,” which is directed to a more efficient method for manufacturing a shoe upper, involving novel and non-obvious ways to form uppers from a single knitted material while providing different textures or properties to various areas, resulting in a featherweight, form-fitting, and virtually seamless sock-like upper designed for support, flexibility, and breathability.
The lawsuit, which Nike initiated in January 2023, accused Lululemon of violating its patents through the sale of at least four different shoe models. While the jury supported Nike’s claim related to one patent, it dismissed allegations concerning a second patent, on which Nike had initially sought damages based on a percentage of revenue generated by the infringing products.
In response to the ruling, a Lululemon spokesperson downplayed the awarded damages and expressed satisfaction with the jury’s decision regarding the non-infringement of the second patent. Lululemon plans to appeal the infringement finding and has assured that the outcome will not affect their product offerings. This case follows Nike’s earlier legal actions against Lululemon, including a 2022 lawsuit concerning the brand’s Mirror Home Gym product, which is still ongoing.
News Source: https://www.retail-insight-network.com/news/lululemon-nike-patent-violation/
(3) Nearly 70% of Southeast Asia online consumers bought Hong Kong products
(Photo Credit: SCMP)
A recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council revealed that over two-thirds of online consumers in six Southeast Asian markets purchased Hong Kong products in the past year, with fashion items being a significant category. The survey, which included responses from more than 1,800 shoppers aged 18 to 60 from countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore, indicated that 69% of respondents bought at least one Hong Kong-sourced product, with fashion accounting for 38% of purchases.
Singaporean consumers were noted for their higher spending on Hong Kong fashion products compared to other categories, as well as their overall median expenditure. While shoppers in Thailand and Indonesia viewed Hong Kong goods as less expensive, consumers in Singapore and Vietnam appreciated the unique blend of Chinese and Western design elements in these products.
The survey underscores the importance of understanding regional consumer preferences. She emphasised that companies must tailor their offerings to meet the diverse needs and expectations of consumers across different markets.
News Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/2977508/nearly-70-of-southeast-asian-online-consumers-bought-hong-kong-products
(4) Purple Style Labs, Luxury Fashion Brand That Leased Retail Space That Housed Zara, Raises US$40 Million
(Photo Credit: News18)
Purple Style Labs (PSL) has recently secured US$40 million in Series-E funding, led by several investors, to support its expansion plans. The Mumbai-based luxury fashion house, established in 2015, aims to strengthen its retail presence following a significant lease of a 60,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Zara in South Mumbai.
The funds will be used to grow PSL’s retail footprint both domestically and internationally, with the company planning to open a multi-designer luxury retail store in Mumbai and expand into key global fashion capitals such as New York and Dubai.
PSL has a strong track record of fundraising, having raised a total of US$55.2 million across multiple funding rounds since its inception. The company’s revenues have also seen substantial growth, with a reported ₹372 crore in the fiscal year 2022-2023, up from ₹175 crore the previous year, reflecting its successful expansion and increasing market presence in the luxury fashion sector.
News Source: https://www.news18.com/business/purple-style-labs-luxury-fashion-brand-that-leased-retail-space-that-housed-zara-raises-40-million-9260421.html
