In the recent past, Coperni made headlines with its avant-garde spray-on dress and its futuristic runway spectacle featuring robots. Now, the cult brand is back in the limelight – this time, under a less flattering glare.
Levi’s is taking legal action against Coperni over the brand’s usage of confusingly similar fabric tabs and signature stitching patterns – the two emblematic elements of Levi’s authenticity and quality. Having introduced the Arcuate pocket stitching over a century ago in 1873 and the distinctive red tab trademark in 1936, the American denim brand alleges that Coperni has infringed upon its internationally recognized brand markers.
The heart of the lawsuit lies in the French brand’s utilization of a “COPERNI”-branded fabric tag, which, according to Levi’s, dilutes the sanctity of its long-established tab trademark. Levi’s asserts that these attachments–albeit tiny–are not mere design elements but long-standing symbols of the brand’s quality and heritage.
Beyond the legal tussle over trademark infringement, Levi’s is challenging Coperni’s sale of reworked Levi’s products, arguing that the approach blurs the lines of brand identity, misleading consumers into believing an official partnership exists between the two labels where there is, in fact, none.
As Levi’s grapples to safeguard its legacy and long-standing brand identity, the legal clash will shed light on the delicate and ever-evolving landscape of intellectual property rights within the fashion industry. As the two fashion powerhouses prepare to go head-to-head in court, the result of this lawsuit could potentially set the benchmark not only for the brands involved but for the entire fashion ecosystem.
ALSO READ: ANNA DELLO RUSSO’S COLLABORATION WITH MAX&CO. IS CALLED ‘DE-COATED’ FOR A REASON.
