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Life

03rd Jan 2019

Vans suing Penneys owner Primark over “identical knock-offs”

Carl Kinsella

Vans Penneys lawsuit

Iconic brand Vans is suing Primark over what it claims are “identical knock-offs” of its footwear.

Primark, which owns the popular Irish clothing store Penneys, is being taken to court by Vans and its parent company VF Corp.

The issue of contention is Primark’s alleged use of a design similar to Vans’ “Side Stripe” which is trademarked.

“The Side Stripe Trademark’s prominent placement and often-contrasted colour make Vans’ shoes immediately recognisable to consumers even at far-off distances,” say the documents.

“The infringing products are calculated and intentional knock-offs of Vans’ footwear products, and have been designed to confuse the purchasing public.”

Vans Penneys

While the trainers in question are no longer being sold on the Irish or United Kingdom markets, a lawsuit filed in New York alleges that Primark are still selling them in the US.

The lawsuit claims that this amounts to trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising.

According to Cosmopolitan, Primark has stated its intention to fight the lawsuit.