Uniqlo US and Anya Hindmarch sued for alleged trademark infringement

Lifestyle brand Googly Eye Cru has filed a trademark infringement complaint in New York federal court against the US divisions of Fast Retailing and Uniqlo and Anya Hindmarch’s parent company.

GEC claims the ‘Googly Eye motif’ – cartoonish images of black and white eyeballs – has been infringed on with items from Uniqlo’s 2023 collaborative collection. It is seeking a jury trial.

In its filing Tuesday in the US District Court Southern District of New York, GEC said it has been selling its products with that motif since 2003. “The Googly Eye brand is synonymous with high-quality lifestyle and apparel products such as T-shirts, hats and accessories. other accessories and consumers and the trade immediately identify GEC as the source of all products bearing the Google Eye trademark,” the complaint states.

Representatives for Uniqlo and Anya Hindmarch had not responded to media requests as of Wednesday afternoon.

GEC alleged that the defendants have used the Googly Eye Mark in connection with their clothing since the launch of the ‘Uniqlo x Anya Hindmarch 2023 winter collection’. Similar motifs can be seen on accessories. Hindmarch is a London-based designer who started her signature company in 1987. It does business as ASHS Ltd., an English limited company.

GEC took legal action in New York, alleging that the allegedly infringing products were distributed, displayed and offered for sale in New York, and directly targeted New York consumers.

The amount of damages sought by GEC is yet to be determined, said GEC’s attorney Jeffrey Gluck of the Gluck Law Firm. GEC alleges that the defendants violated the Lanham Trademark Act and are also seeking an injunction restraining the defendants from “advertising, marketing, promoting, supplying, distributing, offering for sale or selling any Googly Eye branded skin care product or service, ‘, was the complaint.

This week’s legal complaint isn’t the only infringement battle involving Uniqlo. Earlier this year, Uniqlo in Tokyo filed a copyright infringement claim against Shein for a bag that the retailer claims is one of its own. Unilo is reportedly seeking $1.1 million in damages.