lululemon is Suing Under Armour for Patent Infringement
Lululemon is suing competitor Under Armour over a sportswear design. The athletic wear company filed a lawsuit in Delaware against Under Armour for patent infringement relating to lululemon's Energy Bra. Currently, the lululemon design below retails at $52 dollars, while Under Armour's product, using a similar design, is selling for between $20 and $40. In a statement, lululemon claimed "the infringing products are so similar in design to the trade dress that they're likely to cause confusion, mistake and deception as to the source of origin of the infringing goods among consumers.”
Lululemon vs. Under Armour design, via Pret-a-Reporter | Credit: Pret-a-Reporter by Sam Reed
Total Retail's Take: Given the rise in popularity of athelsuire in the retail market today, these types of product design lawsuits are not uncommon. lululemon, which in the past was labeled as a "patent troll," cited "irreparable damage" to its reputation. A spokeswoman for Under Armour told The Hollywood Reporter, "Under Armour, as a leading brand in the sports performance market, takes the intellectual property rights of others very seriously."
