Adidas sues Australian label White Fox over four-stripe clothing designs
Adidas is suing Sydney-based fashion label White Fox in Australia's Federal Court, claiming its four-stripe clothing is deceptively similar to Adidas's three-stripe trademark. White Fox denies breach and says the stripes are decorative.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Adidas is suing the Sydney-based fashion label White Fox in Australia's Federal Court, arguing that clothing with four parallel stripes is 'deceptively similar' to its three-stripe trademark. BBC NewsN “Adidas is suing Australian label White Fox for selling and advertising clothes with a four-striped design, arguing it is "deceptively similar" to the German brand's distinct logo.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “Adidas is suing White Fox over its new design, arguing it's 'deceptively similar' to their signature three stripe trademark.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Adidas says it has repeatedly asked White Fox to stop selling and promoting the clothes since March, and that White Fox refused. BBC NewsN “The sportswear giant said it had repeatedly asked White Fox to stop selling and promoting the clothes since March, but the Sydney-based company refused.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “rejected repeated requests to stop selling and promoting clothing bearing the four parallel stripes, its rival claims.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Court documents say the three-stripe design has been trademarked in Australia since 1957 and has a 'substantial and valuable reputation' there, and that White Fox's designs are 'substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar' to it. BBC NewsN “Adidas states that its three-striped design has a "substantial and valuable reputation" in Australia, where it has been trademarked since 1957.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “The claim added White Fox's designs are 'substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar' to Adidas.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Adidas also says White Fox's advertisements show people wearing genuine Adidas items, which could lead consumers to think the brands are associated, and that White Fox is 'drawing an association in the minds of consumers'. BBC NewsN “This might lead Australians to think Adidas is associated with White Fox and has approved of the design, the documents claim.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “The documents claimed that White Fox is 'drawing an association in the minds of consumers' of the brands.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1In court on Friday, Adidas's barrister Patrick Flynn SC pointed to a photo of a White Fox-endorsed influencer wearing four-stripe shorts with genuine Adidas shoes and said 'There's an intention to trade off our reputation'. Daily MailR “'There's an intention to trade off our reputation,' Mr Flynn said.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The documents allege that days after proceedings were lodged, the stripes on the Adidas shoes in one White Fox sock listing from June 2025 were digitally altered to remove one stripe, and a week later all three were removed. BBC NewsN “A few days after the court proceedings were lodged last month, the Adidas logo on the shoes were digitally altered to remove one of the stripes, the documents alleged, and a week later, all three stripes were scrubbed from the image.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “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.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Adidas is seeking to stop White Fox making four-stripe clothing and to recover the profits from the products, plus interest and costs. BBC NewsN “saying White Fox must pay them the profit from the products plus interest and costs.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “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.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1White Fox's lawyers denied any breach of trademark; its barrister Ed Heerey KC said the company would argue the four stripes are decorative rather than a trademark, and pointed to similar items from Princess Polly, Glassons and Shein. Daily MailR “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.”“Lawyers for the brand denied any breach of trademark in the Federal Court on Friday.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2In 2013 Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia over shoes with four stripes. BBC NewsN “In 2013, Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia for selling shoes with four stripes.” Read at BBC News ↗ Daily MailR “In 2013, Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia for selling shoes with four stripes.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Centre · 1White Fox was launched in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos, expanded into the UK in 2024, and, according to the Australian Financial Review, made AU$542m in revenue in the 12 months to June 2025; Adidas reported €24.8bn in 2025 revenue. BBC NewsN “White Fox was launched in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos and is privately-owned by the Greek-Australian couple and Daniel's mother Melina Maceri.”“In the 12 months to June 2025, the company generated AU$542m (£286m; $377m) in revenue” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight business/legal report built on the Federal Court filings, with background on both companies.
- Emphasis
- Adidas's allegations, the altered image, company financials and White Fox's profile and growth.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report White Fox's defence arguments or courtroom statements.
- Charged language
- “sailing close to the wind”
- For example
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“The Australian law firms representing Adidas and White Fox both declined to comment on the case, the first hearing due to begin on Friday.” — BBC News
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Courtroom-focused report on the first hearing, giving both barristers' arguments, with a consumer-confusion headline.
- Emphasis
- Barristers' quotes, White Fox's 'decorative' defence and rival fast-fashion brands' similar items; notes appeal to young women and girls.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out Adidas's revenue and White Fox's financial figures.
- Charged language
- “sports giant”
- For example
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“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.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Adidas is suing White Fox in Australia's Federal Court over four-stripe clothing.
- Adidas says its three-stripe mark has been trademarked in Australia since 1957.
- Adidas says White Fox refused requests to stop since March.
- Adidas won a 2013 case against Pacific Brands over four-stripe shoes.
Where accounts differ
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Whether White Fox's four stripes infringe Adidas's trademark
- Centre
- Reports Adidas's claim of deceptive similarity; White Fox's lawyers declined to comment.
- Right
- Reports Adidas's claim, and that White Fox denies breach and says the stripes are decorative.
Adidas organisation
Says White Fox's four-stripe designs infringe its three-stripe trademark, trade on its reputation and risk consumer confusion; seeks an end to sales and profits.
“'There's an intention to trade off our reputation,' Mr Flynn said.” — Daily Mail
“The company says since at least March, White Fox has been selling and advertising clothes with four parallel stripes of equal width” — BBC News
White Fox organisation
Denies breach; its barrister says the four stripes are decorative, not a trademark, and are common among other fast-fashion brands. Its lawyers declined to comment to the BBC.
“He highlighted similar items bearing the four stripes from other brands such as fast-fashion labels Princess Polly, Glassons, and Shein.” — Daily Mail
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Adidas sues Australian label White Fox over four stripes design
Neutral Factual account of Adidas's court claims and background on White Fox's rise.
Right1 article
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Neutral Hearing report setting Adidas's confusion argument against White Fox's decorative-stripes defence.
- 8 Oct 19:17 First BBC NewsN Adidas sues Australian label White Fox over four stripes design
- 9 Oct 08:45 +13h 28m Daily MailR Adidas sues White Fox over its four-stripe design - arguing it is too easily confused with sports giant's trademark three-stripe look
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.