Non-Traditional Fashion Trade MarksTo Protect or Not to Protect? Comparative Examples

Authors

Irene Calboli, Texas A&M University School of LawFollow

Document Type

Book Section

Publication Date

2-2025

ISBN

9780198938897

DOI

10.1093/law/9780198938897.003.0019

Abstract

This chapter discusses the protection of non-traditional trade marks (NTTMs)—which refer to shapes, colours, scents, sounds, positions, and multimedia marks, amongst others—in the fashion industry. In particular, it reviews several cases related to the protection, or lack thereof, of famous fashion NTTMs in several jurisdictions and, notably, Louboutin’s red sole design, LV’s Damier patterns, Gucci’s monograms and patterns, Hermès’ iconic Birkin and Kelly bags, and Adidas’ three-stripe mark in different countries. Through this analysis, this chapter shows how different cases related to the same marks in different jurisdictions indicate somewhat conflicting results, which confirms the ongoing struggle that courts and intellectual property (IP) offices still face when deciding whether to protect NTTMs and the conditions upon which to grant such protection.

First Page

368

Last Page

404

Num Pages

37

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Editor

Eleonora Rosati & Irene Calboli

Book Title

The Handbook of Fashion Law

Recommended Citation

Irene Calboli, Non-Traditional Fashion Trade MarksTo Protect or Not to Protect? Comparative Examples, in The Handbook of Fashion Law 368 (Eleonora Rosati & Irene Calboli eds., 2025).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/facscholar/2219