Adidas is suing luxury designer Thom Browne over his use of stripes — and Browne showed up to court in a shorts suit and one striped sock

• Adidas is locked in a court battle with fashion label Thom Browne over its use of stripes.
• Adidas holds the trademark for three parallel stripes on apparel; Thom Browne uses four.

When you think stripes, do you think Adidas?

That's what the German sportswear brand is alleging in a legal battle against the high-fashion label Thom Browne, which kicked off in court on Tuesday. Adidas filed suit against the luxury brand in June 2021, and the trial aims to determine whether the brand is infringing on Adidas' trademark for three parallel stripes on apparel, which the sports giant has been using since the 1940s.

Thom Browne, which was founded in 2003 by a designer of the same name, is known primarily for its sporty, sharply tailored suits for men and women, and the label often includes sets of four parallel stripes on anything from puffer jackets to socks.

Case in point: Browne himself, who entered Manhattan's Southern District Court on Tuesday in his brand's signature shorts suit paired with high socks, one of which was striped. The company's attorney told the jury that the outfit is the "uniform" Browne and his employees wear each day, according to WWD.

Lawyers for both Adidas and Thom Browne said in court Tuesday that the fashion label previously used three stripes in its designs. But after Adidas discovered how Thom Browne was using stripes, the label agreed to add a fourth stripe in 2007 to avoid a legal battle.

Still, the stripes are similar enough that consumers confuse Thom Browne products for Adidas, Adidas' attorney argued, and as Thom Browne expands its product array beyond suits to include sportswear, the stripes are a "targeted attempt to grow its sportswear business."

The lawyer for Thom Browne argued that the two companies do not compete, as "Thom Browne is a luxury designer and Adidas is a sports brand," according to WWD. A pair of striped socks from Thom Browne can retail for $120, while similar crew socks from Adidas cost around $16 for a three-pack.

Adidas is seeking $867,225 in damages, which it says is the amount it would have received from Thom Browne if the two companies had entered into a licensing agreement. Adidas is also seeking an additional $7 million, which the brand says is equivalent to the profits Thom Browne made from selling its striped merchandise, WWD reported.

Since its founding nearly 20 years ago, Thom Browne has grown from a Manhattan storefront offering five made-to-measure suits to a preppy powerhouse that dresses the likes of NBA star LeBron James and supermodel Gigi Hadid. The brand is known not just for stripes, but for details like red, white, and blue grosgrain ribbon trim, a shrunken fit, and fresh takes on mens suiting like shorts and kilts. In recent years, the brand has signed deals to dress athletes like soccer star Lionel Messi and the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers — both of which have also had relationships with Adidas.