Adidas sues White Fox over four-stripe clothing designs

Adidas has sued Australian fast-fashion label White Fox Boutique in the Federal Court of Australia, accusing the brand of infringing on its famous three-stripe trademark with a "deceptively similar" four-stripe clothing line.

The German sportswear giant claims White Fox ignored repeated warnings to stop selling the apparel, which began appearing on social media in January 2026. Adidas is now seeking an injunction, damages, and all profits White Fox made from the disputed range.

White Fox, a Sydney-based online retailer popular with teenagers and young adults in Australia, the US, and the UK, has built a massive following through heavy marketing campaigns. It is known for its lounge clothing, hoodies, and sweatpants, often promoted by university-aged influencers and plastered across billboards and bus networks.

The allegations of 'sailing close to the wind'

According to court filings, Adidas claims the four parallel stripes on White Fox's sweatpants, shorts, and socks are designed to confuse consumers. Adidas says the styling could lead shoppers to believe the products are an official collaboration or otherwise approved by the sportswear giant, accusing the Australian brand of "sailing close to the wind" to capitalise on Adidas's long-established reputation.

To support its case, Adidas pointed to White Fox's own promotional photos, which showed models wearing White Fox socks and trousers alongside genuine Adidas shoes.

In one instance, an online listing from June 2025 featured a model in White Fox socks wearing pink Adidas trainers. Adidas claims that days after it launched court proceedings in September, White Fox digitally edited the listing to erase one of the shoe's three stripes. A week later, the company allegedly scrubbed the stripes from the image entirely.

Adidas began gathering evidence in March, sending a cease-and-desist letter on 19 March. The very next day, an Adidas representative bought a pair of white-striped, plum-coloured lounge shorts from White Fox. Representatives went on to purchase a dozen more items over the following months while photographing White Fox advertisements on Sydney buses.

A history of trademark fights

This is not the first time Adidas has taken legal action over a four-stripe design. In 2013, the brand successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia for selling Dunlops and Grosby shoes featuring four parallel stripes.

However, Adidas has not had a clean run in protecting its brand globally. In 2025, it lost a high-profile UK appeal against the fashion designer Thom Browne over his use of four stripes, and the European Union has previously rejected the company's attempts to secure a broad, pan-EU trademark over its three-stripe design.

Adidas, which reported €24.8 billion (£21 billion) in revenue in 2025, has held its three-stripe trademark in Australia for decades. Court documents note the brand's Australian trademark reputation dates back to at least 1957, though some registrations date to 1973.

White Fox has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2013 by Sydney couple Georgia and Daniel Contos alongside Daniel's mother, Melina Maceri. The private company generated AU$542 million (£286 million) in revenue in the year ending June 2025—a fourfold increase from its 2022 earnings—while spending AU$52 million on marketing.

The retailer is no stranger to controversy. In 2025, the Australian corporate regulator fined it $187,800 for filing its financial accounts late. Earlier in 2026, it was forced to withdraw a social media advertisement after Australia's Ad Standards ruled it encouraged heavy drinking and unsafe behaviour among its young audience.

A first case management hearing is scheduled for Friday before Justice Ian Jackman. Neither Adidas's legal team nor White Fox's representatives at law firm Gilbert and Tobin have commented on the lawsuit.