German sportswear giant Adidas has sued Australian fashion retailer White Fox over clothing designs featuring four parallel stripes, alleging that they resemble its trademarked branding and could mislead consumers.
The case is before the Federal Court of Australia, where Adidas is seeking financial compensation and other remedies. White Fox has denied wrongdoing and intends to contest the allegations.
Adidas claims it repeatedly asked the Sydney-based retailer to stop selling and advertising the disputed products from March, but the requests were unsuccessful.
The company argues that its three-stripe design has enjoyed a substantial reputation in Australia, where the trademark has been registered since 1957. It alleges that White Fox used substantially similar patterns on products including sweatpants and lounge shorts.
White Fox’s lawyers told the court that the retailer had not infringed trademark law. Its defence is expected to argue that other Australian fashion brands, including Cotton On, Sportscraft and Glassons, also sell clothing featuring decorative stripes.
The court is expected to examine whether White Fox’s designs are sufficiently similar to Adidas’s trademark to constitute infringement. A trial lasting three to four days is anticipated early next year.
Adidas has also challenged White Fox’s advertising, alleging that some promotional images showed models wearing White Fox-branded clothing alongside genuine Adidas products, potentially creating the impression of a commercial connection between the brands.
Court documents reportedly included comparisons of the disputed designs and photographs of advertisements displayed on buses and at bus stops.
One example involved a June 2025 online listing featuring White Fox-branded socks alongside pink Adidas shoes. Adidas alleged that the company’s logo was digitally altered after the lawsuit was filed, with one stripe removed initially and all three stripes removed from the image about a week later.
Adidas is seeking damages, profits allegedly earned from the disputed products, interest and legal costs. The claims have yet to be established in court.
The dispute follows an earlier Australian trademark case in which Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in 2013 over footwear featuring four stripes.
Founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos, White Fox is privately owned by the couple and Daniel’s mother, Melina Maceri. The retailer targets teenagers and young adults across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States through online sales, influencer campaigns and outdoor advertising.
The company entered the UK market in 2024 and has recorded significant revenue growth. According to the Australian Financial Review, White Fox generated AU$542 million in revenue in the 12 months to June 2025, compared with AU$121 million in 2022.
The lawsuit highlights the continuing tension between fashion design and trademark protection, particularly when decorative patterns resemble established brand identities.
The court’s eventual decision will determine whether White Fox’s designs and advertising infringed Adidas’s trademark rights under Australian law. Until then, the allegations remain disputed.
