Adidas is taking Australian fast-fashion label White Fox to court over a line of striped apparel. The German sportswear giant claims the Sydney-based brand is selling clothing with a four-stripe design that is “deceptively similar” to its own world-famous three-stripe trademark.
In a lawsuit filed in the Federal Court of Australia, Adidas alleges that the online retailer has ignored multiple requests to stop selling and promoting the clothing. The brand says it first reached out to White Fox back in March, but the fast-fashion company refused to back down. The first court hearing is scheduled for Friday. Legal representatives for both companies have declined to comment on the pending case.
A Battle of the Stripes
Adidas has protected its three-stripe design in Australia since 1957. According to the court filings, the brand argues this logo has a “substantial and valuable reputation” that consumers instantly recognize. By selling clothes with four parallel, equal-width stripes, Adidas claims White Fox is infringing on this trademark and “taking advantage” of its global reputation.
The German company says White Fox is “sailing close to the wind” to create a false association in shoppers’ minds. To back up its claims, Adidas submitted side-by-side product comparisons of sweatpants and lounge shorts, along with photos of White Fox bus stop advertisements.
Digital Alterations Alleged in Court
The lawsuit also highlights some unusual promotional tactics. Adidas claims White Fox ran advertisements where models wore genuine Adidas footwear alongside White Fox-branded socks. In one specific online listing from June 2025, a model wore a pair of pink Adidas sneakers.
Adidas alleges that shortly after it filed the lawsuit last month, White Fox tried to cover its tracks. The brand claims the three-stripe logo on the pink shoes was digitally altered to show just two stripes. A week later, the stripes were reportedly photoshopped out of the image completely.
Two Retail Giants Collide
This is not the first time Adidas has gone to court over extra lines. In 2013, the sportswear giant successfully sued Pacific Brands in Australia for selling shoes with four stripes.
The stakes are high for both companies. Adidas reported a massive €24.8 billion ($28 billion) in revenue for 2025. White Fox, though smaller, is currently one of Australia’s fastest-growing private fashion labels. Founded in 2013 by Georgia and Daniel Contos alongside Melina Maceri, the brand has built a huge following among teenagers and young adults in Australia, the US, and the UK. White Fox brought in AU$542 million ($377 million) in the 12 months leading up to June 2025—a massive four-fold increase from its 2022 revenue of $121 million.
Now, Adidas wants the court to force White Fox to hand over all profits made from the disputed garments, plus interest and legal costs.