Adidas has initiated legal action against the Australian label White Fox, claiming that the company's four-striped clothing design is "deceptively similar" to its own three-striped logo. The sportswear company presented images of White Fox advertisements to support its claim. Adidas stated that it had requested White Fox to cease selling and promoting the four-striped items since March, but the company did not comply.
White Fox, which is popular among teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK, and the US, has utilized various marketing strategies, including billboards and influencer partnerships, to enhance its visibility. In a court session on Friday, White Fox's legal representatives denied any trademark infringement. Although White Fox has not filed a formal defense yet, its lawyers indicated that they plan to argue that other Australian brands, such as Cotton On and Sportscraft, also sell clothing with similar decorative stripes.
Adidas's lawyers argued in court that White Fox's actions suggest an intention to benefit from Adidas's reputation. A trial is anticipated to last three to four days and is expected to occur early next year. According to Adidas's written claim, its three-striped design has been trademarked in Australia since 1957 and holds a "substantial and valuable reputation."
The company alleges that White Fox has been marketing and selling clothing with four parallel stripes, which it claims infringes on its trademark. Adidas contends that White Fox's designs are "substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar" to its own. Furthermore, Adidas claims that White Fox's advertisements feature individuals wearing genuine Adidas products, potentially misleading consumers into believing there is an association between the two brands.
Adidas is seeking damages, including profits from the sales of the infringing products, plus interest and costs. Evidence submitted by Adidas includes comparisons of its products with those of White Fox, as well as images from advertisements. In one instance, Adidas claimed that a June 2025 online listing displayed White Fox-branded socks being modeled alongside pink Adidas shoes. Following the initiation of court proceedings, Adidas alleged that the logo on the shoes was digitally altered to remove one stripe, and subsequently, all three stripes were removed from the image.
White Fox was founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos and is privately owned by the couple and Daniel's mother, Melina Maceri. The company has expanded its presence in the US and entered the UK market in 2024. In the year leading up to June 2025, White Fox reported AU$542 million in revenue, a significant increase from AU$121 million in 2022, according to the Australian Financial Review.