Burberry Sues JCPenney Over Coats In Familiar-Looking Plaid

Do you recognize Burberry’s distinctive plaid on sight? The British company assumes that most clothing shoppers do, and has filed a lawsuit against JCPenney for using a similar plaid in scarves and coats that it has sold recently.

The most notable difference, of course, is that the classic Burberry scarf costs $475, and the JCPenney version that’s actually a wool peacoat that comes with a free scarf costs $99. That exact item is no longer on the site, but here’s a catalog photo preserving it:

751476636aed9bd41088996b3fb5d28a

To review, what does a similar-looking scarf in the trademarked plaid pattern look like?

plaid

Hmm. There is a resemblance, and Burberry is vigilant against other companies that try to imitate its plaid. The company also sued over quilted coats using a similar pattern on the coat itself.

“Even though defendants’ infringing products are of inferior quality, they appear superficially similar to genuine Burberry products,” the British scarfery’s initial complaint says, according to Reuters, with snootiness dripping off the page.

The company seeks damages, but they appear to mostly want JCPenney to stop selling items in the alleged knockoff print.

Burberry sues J.C. Penney for selling knockoff jackets, scarves [Reuters]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.