Adidas Sues White Fox Over Deceptively Similar Four-Stripe Design

Adidas has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in the Federal Court of Australia against Sydney-based fast-fashion retailer White Fox Boutique, alleging that the brand’s four-striped clothing and advertising are deceptively similar to its iconic three-stripe design. The German sportswear giant is seeking damages, legal costs, and a full surrender of profits generated from the disputed products, according to court documents cited across multiple news reports.

Federal Court Lawsuit and Trademark Claims in Sydney

The legal dispute centers on White Fox’s sale and promotion of items featuring four parallel stripes of equal width, including sweatpants, lounge shorts, and socks. According to bbc.com, Adidas claimed in its written statement that the Sydney-based online retailer has been selling the contested apparel since at least March. Lawyers for Adidas argued that the designs are substantially identical or deceptively similar to its trademarked three-stripe motif, which has been registered in Australia since 1957, bbc.com reported. The Guardian reported that Adidas representatives purchased a dozen of the items and photographed widespread billboard and bus advertisements across Sydney, London, and Los Angeles as part of its legal evidence.

During the first court mention on Friday before Justice Ian Jackman, Adidas barrister Patrick Flynn SC told the court that White Fox intentionally traded off the sportswear brand’s reputation, according to The Canberra Times. Nine.com.au noted that the multinational firm also alleged White Fox advertisements featured models wearing genuine Adidas shoes alongside White Fox apparel and socks. Court documents allege that after legal proceedings were initiated, White Fox later digitally altered the photos to remove a stripe, bbc.com reported.

White Fox Revenue Grows Four-Fold Since 2022

Founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos and privately owned alongside Daniel’s mother Melina Maceri, White Fox has expanded rapidly among teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK, and the US, bbc.com and The Guardian reported. Mediaweek reported that the fast-fashion retailer spent $52 million on marketing in the 12 months leading to June 2025, driving total revenue across its Australian and US operations to $542 million—a four-fold increase from its 2022 figure of $121 million.

Legal Defense and Precedent in Australian Trademark Disputes

Representing White Fox, barrister Ed Heerey KC told the Federal Court that the company denies any trademark breach, stating that the four stripes on its clothing are purely decorative, The Canberra Times reported. White Fox intends to argue that other prominent Australian brands, including Cotton On, Sportscraft, and Glassons, also sell apparel featuring similar decorative stripes, according to bbc.com. Lawyers for White Fox formally noted their intention to defend the matter, though a formal defence has not yet been lodged.

The litigation draws on established Australian legal precedent. In 2013, Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in the Federal Court for selling shoes bearing four parallel stripes, a case highlighted by The Canberra Times as proof that the current action is not uncharted territory. However, Mediaweek noted that while Adidas maintains strict protection over its intellectual property—recording €24.8 billion in global revenue in 2025—its international trademark enforcement has experienced mixed outcomes overseas, including a 2025 UK appeal loss against designer Thom Browne.

Early 2027 Trial Scheduled in the Federal Court

Justice Ian Jackman set the dispute down for a hearing in early 2027. The court will ultimately determine whether White Fox’s four-stripe apparel constitutes a trademark infringement or misleading association, or whether the designs fall under standard decorative fashion practices as argued by the retailer’s legal counsel.