A debate over ownership of traditional Chinese symbols has cropped up after a court ordered a local tea chain to pay French luxury brand Louis Vuitton $1.5 million over trademark infringement claims.
Chinese state-media and online commentators are questioning if the four-petal flower design in the fashion house’s 130-year-old signature monogram is derived from patterns dating back to ancient China. Some are accusing the company of “monopolizing” traditional Chinese patterns.
A court in the eastern city of Suzhou recently ruled that the logo of the Molly Tea, whose signature drinks are based on jasmine and other floral-based teas, infringed on Louis Vuitton’s trademark monogram. It ordered the tea company to pay 10.3 million yuan ($1.5 million) to the French company, according to local media reports that carried copies or details of what they said was the ruling.
Intellectual property fights between Western and Chinese brands are not uncommon. International brands like American sneaker maker New Balance have taken Chinese firms to local courts and sometimes prevailed in intellectual property and trademark cases.
The judgement has been trending online in China.
