NYT has a great look at Levi’s recent deluge into the trademark protection abyss. From the article:
Executives at Levi’s concede they missed important fashion trends as the denim industry ballooned over the last several years, but they deny the lawsuits are connected to any downturn in their business.
Instead, they say they are simply trying to preserve their intellectual property. Like pharmaceutical companies that sue generic drug makers over their patents or technology companies that duke it out over who owns the right to microchip designs, Levi’s says it is trying to protect its most valuable asset, its trademarks.
Really? Would old Mr. Strauss not have continued making jeans if he couldn’t prevent others from mimicking his back pocket design? Silly me, I thought it was all about the product. But still, does imitating Levi’s back pocket create confusion?
“It was an original design,” [Steven Shaul, the founder and chief executive of Jelessy Jeans] said. “Why would I use Levi’s stitching? If my jeans sell for $200, I would not knock off $40 jeans from Levi’s.”
Very true. Does anyone paying $200 for jeans think they’re buying Levi’s?
