Victoria Secret Goes Down in Lawsuit Over the Word 'Pink'

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A London judge has ruled that Victoria's Secret Pink's "sexy, mass-market appeal" is indeed a detriment to the reputation of luxury brand Thomas Pink. The London-based shirtmaker won the lawsuit it filed last year after VS Pink opened UK stores in 2012, alleging that the Victoria's Secret Pink brand was too close to the Thomas Pink brand and trademarks.

The high court in London ruled that Victoria's Secret has infringed Thomas Pink's trademark, with Judge Colin Birss stating that having two different Pink stores is just too confusing for shoppers. "Consumers are likely to enter one of the claimant's shops looking for lingerie and be surprised and disappointed when they find they have made a mistake," Birss said. According to a legal expert specializing in intellectual property interviewed by The Guardian, Victoria's Secret could be forced to stop using the Pink trademark in Europe.
· Victoria's Secret's 'Sexy, Mass-Market Appeal' Hurt Shirt Brand, Court Finds [The Guardian]
· Thomas Pink Sues Victoria's Secret Pink Over Trademark [Racked]