Chinese milk tea brand Molicha (left) and the Louis Vuitton logo. Captured from X (formerly Twitter) and the official Louis Vuitton website
Is it a luxury brand’s logo, or a traditional Chinese pattern?
French luxury brand Louis Vuitton has filed a lawsuit against China’s trademark authority. The move comes just after it won 2.3 billion won in damages in a trademark infringement suit against a Chinese milk tea brand. Louis Vuitton claims its logo was copied, but in China, the counterargument is that it is a traditional pattern. A heated debate is unfolding across China.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 15th, a hearing in the lawsuit Louis Vuitton filed against the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) will be held on the morning of the 16th at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. The public notice alone does not immediately make clear which trademark dispute is the subject of the suit. However, according to a notice released by the Beijing Intellectual Property Court in May, Louis Vuitton Malletier filed an administrative lawsuit against CNIPA, with Chinese national Huang Minyao participating as a third party.
It is not unusual for Louis Vuitton to file lawsuits in China. This year, 58 rulings and summonses related to Louis Vuitton have been posted on China’s official court announcement platform. Most were trademark disputes. According to court notices compiled by Qichacha, a Chinese corporate information database, 11 additional trademark infringement cases are set to be heard between mid-month and the end of August.
Nor is this the first time Louis Vuitton has filed a lawsuit against China’s trademark authority. According to Qichacha records, the Beijing court heard a similar case in March. At that time, too, CNIPA was named as a defendant alongside a third party.
Comparison of the Molity logo and the Louis Vuitton logo. Photo = TikTok capture
This hearing comes at a sensitive time for Louis Vuitton. Earlier this month, Louis Vuitton won a ruling awarding 10.3 million yuan (about 2.3 billion won) in damages in a trademark infringement suit against local milk tea chain Molly Tea. A strong backlash has followed within China.
A court in Suzhou, a city in eastern China, ruled that a floral pattern Molly Tea used in its branding infringed on Louis Vuitton’s registered monogram design. The court further pointed out that the milk tea chain had used the design even after its trademark applications were repeatedly rejected, noting “considerable bad faith.”
However, the ruling drew widespread criticism on Chinese social media. Many users argued that the Molly Tea design was reminiscent of “baoxianghua” (寶相花), a traditional Chinese pattern combining peony and lotus forms. Molly Tea has stated it will appeal the ruling.
Giorgio Armani logo. Photo courtesy of Armani
“Before Armani Gets Sued”… Zhejiang University Eagle Stirs China
Another luxury brand, Giorgio Armani, has been drawn into a similar controversy. This is because China’s prestigious Zhejiang University registered the eagle pattern used in its school emblem as a trademark. At first glance, the emblem resembles the logo of Italian luxury brand Armani. As a result, an interpretation that it is a preemptive measure to avoid a legal dispute with Armani is spreading on social media.
The eagle in Zhejiang University’s school emblem is visually very similar to the logo of Italian luxury fashion brand Giorgio Armani. The Armani logo features a stylized eagle and has served as the brand’s symbol for decades. The news drew attention with more than 400 million views on Weibo alone. Chinese netizens praised Zhejiang University’s trademark registration as a wise move to avoid potential litigation.
Emblem of China’s Zhejiang University. Photo courtesy of Zhejiang University
Zhang Yifeng, a consultant at Hangzhou Henghui Trademark Office, the trademark agent for Zhejiang University, offered a different backstory. He said, “We registered the trademark late last year because several small companies had printed the pattern on their products without authorization.” Zhang said, “We found cases where our eagle pattern was used on tourist goods such as hats and other consumer products,” adding, “These are products that make consumers think of Zhejiang University but are in fact entirely unrelated.”
He denied the online speculation, drawing a line by saying, “Our trademark registration has nothing to do with the luxury brand netizens have mentioned.”
As Zhejiang University is a comprehensive university spanning medicine, agriculture, law, and electronic engineering, it registered the eagle trademark across multiple fields. Zhang said, “Some certificates have already been received, and some are still under review.” The eagle, known as “Qiushiying” (求是鷹), was first adopted as the university’s symbol in the 1920s. “Qiushi” means “to seek truth” in Chinese. The current emblem, which retains the eagle’s basic form, was finalized in 1991.
One netizen joked, “If the trademark registration succeeds, Zhejiang University could sue Armani,” adding, “the law students will get to practice trademark disputes.” Another wrote, “I praise Zhejiang University’s foresight. Otherwise, it would end up like the milk tea company.” For the time being, the debate over luxury brands and Chinese trademark rights appears unlikely to die down easily.
※ Subscribe to [Park Si-jin’s Global Pick] to receive global trends at the fastest pace.
