Global sportswear brand Adidas is suing Australian online fast-fashion retailer White Fox in the Federal Court. Adidas claims White Fox is infringing its distinctive three-stripe trademark by selling clothes featuring a four-stripe design, which Adidas argues is deceptively similar to its classic design.
Adidas's barrister, Patrick Flynn SC, stated that White Fox rejected requests to cease selling and promoting clothing with the four parallel stripes. Flynn argued that the Sydney-based company has been using the stripes as a trademark for months, pointing to an influencer wearing White Fox's four-stripe shorts with genuine Adidas shoes as a potentially confusing promotion.
White Fox's barrister, Ed Heerey KC, indicated that the Australian company will contend the four stripes on its clothing are decorative rather than a trademark. Heerey also highlighted similar items from other fast-fashion brands and noted that Adidas's own slogan emphasises "the brand with three stripes."
Adidas is seeking orders to prevent White Fox from producing clothing with four stripes and to compel the company to surrender profits made from these products. Justice Ian Jackman has set the dispute down for a hearing in early 2027.