Lululemon sues Costco, alleging it sells style dupes : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F28%2F53%2Fc7557b9043378929103adb4cf8ea%2Fgettyimages-2208355602.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F28%2F53%2Fc7557b9043378929103adb4cf8ea%2Fgettyimages-2208355602.jpg" class="img" alt="A Lululemon store is seen in New York City on April 3. " fetchpriority="high"/> A Lululemon retailer is seen in New York Metropolis on April 3. The athleisure model has filed go well with towards Costco, accusing the warehouse chain of copying its designs. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures disguise caption

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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures Luxurious athletic model Lululemon is suing Costco, accusing the wholesale membership big of copying a number of of its signature designs and providing them at a cheaper price underneath its Kirkland Signature model.

In a lawsuit filed Friday, Lululemon mentioned that "given the success" of its merchandise, "some corporations have replicated or copied Plaintiffs' proprietary attire designs to create what are colloquially identified within the style world as 'knockoffs' or 'dupes.' "

"The Infringing Merchandise create an improper affiliation with Plaintiffs' genuine merchandise," the criticism continued, citing the instance of the hashtag "LululemonDupes" on social media, which helps customers discover opinions and sources of comparable merchandise at a cheaper price.

The lawsuit additionally accuses Costco of illegally buying and selling on Lululemon's "popularity, goodwill and sweat fairness by promoting unauthorized and unlicensed attire" primarily based on the athleisure model's design patents.

In a press release to NPR, Lululemon mentioned: "As an innovation-led firm that invests considerably within the analysis, improvement, and design of our merchandise, we take the duty of defending and implementing our mental property rights very significantly and pursue the suitable authorized motion when obligatory."

Costco didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

Lululemon was based in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1998 and has emerged as a number one retailer within the modern athletic area. With single gadgets repeatedly ringing in at greater than $100, the model is closely related to the athleisure model of exercise gear. Its revenues topped $10 billion final 12 months.

Costco, which is membership solely, has developed a faithful following for its non-public label Kirkland Signature model, which makes competing merchandise of name-brand merchandise, normally at a far cheaper price to prospects. Costco's income totaled $254.5 billion in fiscal 2024.