Partner Laura Ganoza was quoted in an article in The Washington Post, “The Battle Over a $52 Sports Bra Goes to Court,” which covered the patent and trademark infringement case that Lululemon Athletica has brought against Under Armour over a strappy sports bra against the backdrop of a $1 billion market share for the apparel.
Ganoza explained that these kinds of lawsuits are rare in the fashion industry as few retailers are willing to go through the trouble — or expense — of securing design patents for their products. She also explained that “this is a long, expensive process — we’re talking at least a year and half, and several thousand dollars — just to get the patent. That’s a lifetime in the fashion industry, where the lifespan of an article of clothing is a season, if you’re lucky.”
Lululemon, which has more than three dozen design patents, “clearly sees this bra as a product that’s going to have a long shelf life,” Ganoza added.
