Lacoste’s monopoly restricted

Baker Street Clothing Ltd, a leading supplier of fashion outerwear to many High Street stores in the UK, has defeated Lacoste in a trade mark dispute lasting four years. 

Lacoste had opposed the registration of the word ‘Alligator’ used by Baker Street on its clothing range because it was too close, in Lacoste’s opinion, to its registration for its crocodile device mark.  The case centred on how far the public would associate a word for another reptile with a physical and well known international brand device.

Joel Brown, managing director of Baker Street Clothing said, “This is a thrilling victory for smaller companies everywhere to demonstrate that they can take on these giant organisations and win!”

“It was intimidating to take on such a huge company and our initial reaction when we heard Lacoste were planning legal action was ‘How on earth are we going to take on these giants?’, but we believed in our convictions and refused to give up.”

Geoffrey Hobbs QC decided in favour of Baker Street Clothing on the grounds that the word ‘Alligator’ on clothing would not lead an individual to associate it with Lacoste’s crocodile logo.

Ian Morris, Head of Intellectual Property at Manchester based Kuits Solicitors, who represented Baker Street Clothing Limited said, “This is a very significant decision limiting the extent of the monopoly of a famous trade mark.”  This is particularly so as it followed an earlier successful application in the Registry against an opposition by Lacoste to another of Baker Street’s marks, this time on the grounds of non-use.

Joel continued, “It has been frustrating to have our plans on hold for so long, and it’s refreshing and exiting to be able to start thinking about the launch of the range rather than putting together a legal case”.

For more information contact Ian Morris

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