Latest on Adidas sues popular Aussie brand White Fox over its four-stripe design – arguing it is too easily confused with sports giant’s trademark three-stripe look

The sports giant has long been known for its vertical three stripes on their clothes, but the fast-fashion Australian label (White Fox pictured) has launched trousers with four stripes. Its three-stripe design has become almost as well known as the brand itself. So when an Australian fast-fashion upstart launched a range of athletic clothing featuring a not-too-dissimilar design to Adidas – only this time with four stripes – a showdown seemed almost inevitable.

The German sportswear giant is now suing White Fox over its new range, arguing the design is ‘deceptively similar’ to its own. It claims the online rival rejected repeated requests to stop selling and promoting clothing bearing the four parallel stripes. It says White Fox has been selling and promoting the striped clothing since at least March and that it is an infringement of their trademark.

What we know

Lawyers for the Sydney-based firm, which has become a big favourite among teenage girls and twentysomethings of Gen Z, denied any breach of trademark in the Australian Federal Court today. The three-stripes design has been trademarked in Australia since 1957 and the written claim states it has a ‘substantial and valuable reputation’ there. The claim added White Foxs designs are ‘substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar’ to its own.

In court, Adidas barrister Patrick Flynn SC pointed to a picture of a White Fox-endorsed influencer wearing the companys four-stripe shorts with genuine Adidas shoes as a promotion that would confuse consumers. Pictured (L-R): Millie Court and Samie Elishi White Fox's barrister Ed Heerey KC said the Australian company would argue the four stripes emblazoned on the label's clothing were simply decorative rather than a trademark. 'There's an intention to trade off our reputation,' Mr Flynn said.

Why it matters

Just days after court proceedings the Adidas logo on the shoes were altered to remove one of the stripes, then a week later all of them were gone. Adidas is seeking orders that will prevent White Fox making clothing with four stripes and force it to hand over profits it made on the products. He highlighted similar items bearing the four stripes from other brands such as fast-fashion labels Princess Polly, Glassons and Shein.

In 2013, Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia for selling shoes with four stripes. It marks the first high-profile litigation of this kind against White Fox Boutique, which has become a major player in the retail industry since it was founded from a Sydney garage in 2013 as an eBay business. It expanded into the US in 2019 and the UK in 2024.

Founders Georgia and Daniel Contos now have a $1.31billion fortune. The couple are currently renovating their $200million dream home with views of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House.