The eagle on Zhejiang University's crest, nicknamed the "Qiushi Eagle," resembles the stylized bird on Italy's Emporio Armani label, China Business News reported.
The comparison went viral early this month after a court in Suzhou ordered Shenzhen-based tea chain Molly Tea to pay French luxury house Louis Vuitton 10.3 million yuan (US$1.5 million) for infringing seven of LV's registered four-petal flower trademarks, Global Times reported.
That ruling drew more than 400 million views on Weibo. Users hunting for other lookalike logos seized on Zhejiang University's badge, pushing the pairing to the top of Weibo's trending list on July 7.
The signage of the Emporio Armani boutique in Duesseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on July 30, 2025, displays the store, which offers luxury clothing, footwear, and accessories from the Giorgio Armani fashion house. Photo by AFP
The university filed its standalone eagle application on Dec. 17, 2025, more than six months before the Louis Vuitton verdict, according to Zhang Yifeng, a consultant at the Hangzhou Henghui Trademark Affairs Firm who handles the school's filings.
