London shirt maker tickled pink after winning Victoria’s Secret lingerie suit
Thomas Pink, the London-based shirt maker, has won its lawsuit against lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret – amidst claims that its Pink range of clothing confused customers familiar with its own brand.
The legal victory came despite the very different target markets for both brands seemingly providing ample distance between them, with Thomas Pink targeting men scouting for traditional shorts and Victoria’s Secret selling to ‘college girls’.
Nevertheless the high-end shirt maker has history on its side, having been in business since 1984 and named after an 18th century London tailor. Victoria’s Secret has no such ancestry, having opened its first Pink outlets in 2012.
The lawsuit followed a number of instances in which bemused customers apparently wandered into the lingerie store seeking to procure business shirts; whilst others were left red-faced by Thomas Pink’s assertion that they did not sell lingerie.
Commenting on the case Mike Gardner, head of intellectual property at Wedlake Bell LLP told The Telegraph: "I am not surprised by the ruling, as the trade marks are virtually the same. As a brand you do not want another getting in the way of your brand message." He added: "Thomas Pink was successful in its community trade mark case, meaning an injunction of the Pink brand across the European Union."