Adidas sues White Fox over clothing designs 'deceptively similar' to its stripes

German sportswear company Adidas has launched legal action against Australian online fashion retailer White Fox, alleging that its clothing designs featuring four parallel stripes infringe on the brand's trademark and could mislead consumers about a connection between the two companies.

According to the BBC, Adidas claims that White Fox continued selling and promoting the disputed designs despite repeated requests to stop dating back to March. The case is due to begin with its first hearing in Australia's Federal Court on Friday.

In court documents, Adidas argues that its three-stripe design has a "substantial and valuable reputation" in Australia, where the trademark has been registered since 1957.

The company alleges that White Fox has been selling and advertising clothing featuring four parallel stripes of equal width since at least March, claiming the designs are "substantially identical with or otherwise deceptively similar" to its own.

Adidas also argues that advertisements for White Fox's striped clothing and branded socks feature models wearing "genuine" Adidas products. According to the company, this could lead consumers to believe the two brands are associated or that Adidas has approved White Fox's designs.

The German company further accuses White Fox of "taking advantage" of its reputation and "drawing an association in the minds of consumers" between the brands, or at least "sailing close to the wind."

Adidas is seeking damages, including profits earned from the disputed products, along with interest and legal costs.

Disputed designs and advertising

Evidence submitted by Adidas includes side-by-side comparisons of products from the two companies, featuring items such as sweatpants and lounge shorts. The documents also contain photographs of advertisements displayed on buses and at bus stops.

One example cited by Adidas involves an online product listing from June 2025 showing White Fox-branded socks modelled alongside pink Adidas shoes.

According to the court documents, the Adidas logo on the shoes was digitally altered to remove one stripe a few days after the legal proceedings were filed last month. A week later, all three stripes had been removed from the image, the company alleged.

The Australian law firms representing Adidas and White Fox declined to comment on the case, according to the BBC.

Adidas previously won a similar trademark dispute in Australia in 2013, when it successfully sued Pacific Brands over shoes featuring four stripes.

White Fox's growing business

Founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos, White Fox is a privately owned business operated by the Greek-Australian couple and Daniel's mother, Melina Maceri.

The online retailer has gained popularity among teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK, and the US. Its marketing strategy has included billboards, bus advertisements, and influencer promotions, often involving people of university age.

The company has expanded its presence in the US and entered the UK market in 2024.

According to the Australian Financial Review, White Fox generated AU$542 million in revenue in the 12 months to June 2025, up more than fourfold from AU$121 million in 2022.

Adidas reported revenue of €24.8 billion in 2025, equivalent to about £21 billion or $28 billion.