Adidas has filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Australia against Sydney-based fashion label White Fox, accusing the retailer of selling and promoting garments with a four-striped design that it claims is deceptively similar to its own iconic three-stripe logo. The legal battle marks another chapter in the sportswear giant’s long-standing effort to protect its intellectual property.
According to court documents, Adidas has repeatedly requested that White Fox cease sales and marketing of the disputed items since March, but the Australian company reportedly refused to comply. The fast-fashion retailer, which has seen rapid growth among teenagers and young adults in Australia, the UK, and the US, has heavily utilized bus stop billboards and influencer marketing to build its brand profile.
Adidas argues that its three-stripe trademark holds a “substantial and valuable reputation” in Australia, where it has been registered since 1957. The company contends that White Fox’s parallel stripes of equal width are “substantially identical” to its protected design. Furthermore, Adidas alleges that some White Fox advertisements and product listings feature models wearing authentic Adidas footwear, potentially misleading consumers into believing the two brands are affiliated or that Adidas has endorsed the designs.
“White Fox is taking advantage” of Adidas’s established reputation, the lawsuit states, suggesting the retailer is intentionally drawing consumer associations between the labels. In addition to seeking an injunction, Adidas is pursuing financial damages, demanding that White Fox hand over profits generated from the products, along with interest and legal costs.
Evidence presented by the German sportswear giant includes side-by-side comparisons of its apparel alongside White Fox sweatpants and lounge shorts, as well as images of outdoor advertising. Adidas also cited an incident involving an online listing from June 2025, where White Fox socks were modeled by someone wearing pink Adidas trainers. The company alleged that within days of the lawsuit being lodged, the Adidas logo on the shoes was digitally altered to remove one stripe, and a week later, all three stripes were erased from the image entirely.
This case follows a similar precedent set in 2013, when Adidas successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia over the sale of shoes featuring four stripes. White Fox, founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos and their family, reported AU$542 million in revenue for the 12 months ending June 2025, a fourfold increase from its 2022 figures. Both legal teams declined to comment ahead of the first hearing scheduled for Friday.
Interesting that they cited the 2013 Pacific Brands case. Seems like Adidas has a solid track record winning these specific design disputes in Australia.
The bit about erasing stripes from photos after the lawsuit is hilarious. Classic defensive move by White Fox, honestly.
Adidas has been everywhere with these lawsuits. I wonder if they actually have a case here, or just protecting their brand ego.
Wait, four stripes? Does White Fox not know the difference between three and four? That seems like a bold mistake.