A German court has, according to Reuters, ruled that Nike can adorn some of its trouser designs with three stripes, a significant development in its ongoing legal battle with Adidas over trademark issues. This decision came during a second appeal hearing, where the Duesseldorf regional court partially overturned a previous ruling that had restricted Nike’s use of two or three stripes on five specific trouser designs after Adidas filed a lawsuit in 2022 alleging trademark violations.
The court’s latest decision allows Nike to use the three-stripe design on four of the five disputed models, maintaining the ban on only one model. Adidas has long been recognized for its three parallel stripes — a trademark the company vigilantly defends in courts globally. In a notable instance, Adidas retracted a legal challenge against the Black Lives Matter movement’s yellow three-stripe logo last year, amidst concerns that their objection might be perceived as opposition to the anti-racism organization.
Nike has contested the breadth of Adidas’ trademark protection, arguing that the presence of stripes on apparel does not necessarily imply association with Adidas’ brand. This ongoing dispute highlights the complexities of trademark law in the fashion and sportswear industries, where design elements such as stripes are both ubiquitous and iconic.
