Coach, a luxury handbag maker, filed a lawsuit against Gap’s Old Navy unit in a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday, alleging trademark infringement. The lawsuit, brought by Coach and its parent company Tapestry, contends that Gap unlawfully sold T-shirts featuring the word “Coach” without authorization.
Coach asserts that this unauthorized sale is likely to confuse customers into believing Coach endorsed or was involved in the production of the T-shirts, causing irreparable harm to its brand. According to Coach, its trademarks represent a unique blend of fashion, craftsmanship, style, and function, qualities not associated with T-shirts. Founded in 1941, Coach seeks unspecified damages for trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and violations of California’s unfair competition law, as well as the destruction of any remaining inventory of the infringing clothing.
While many luxury retailers often pursue legal action against alleged counterfeiters, it is less common for large corporations like Gap to be targeted. Gap, headquartered in San Francisco, declined to comment on the pending litigation. The lawsuit is titled Tapestry Inc et al v Gap Inc and is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. As of now, there has been no response from Coach’s legal representation.
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