Home / Business and Economy / UGG Dupes Win: Jury Nixes Deckers' Design Patent
UGG Dupes Win: Jury Nixes Deckers' Design Patent
24 Jun
Summary
- Jury found Deckers' UGG boot design patent invalid in California.
- Quince's 'dupe' boots were not found to infringe the invalidated patent.
- This case explores the legality of low-cost product 'dupes'.
In a significant ruling on Monday, a jury in a California federal court declared Deckers Outdoor Corp's design patent for its UGG boots invalid. This verdict means Deckers failed to prove that Quince's similar-looking boots infringed on their intellectual property. However, the jury did find that Quince's boots would have infringed if the patent had been valid.
The trial represents an early legal challenge concerning 'dupes,' which are products intentionally designed to mimic popular brand-name items at a lower cost. Quince, a company specializing in such products, aims to provide high-quality alternatives at more accessible prices. Deckers, which also owns Hoka and Teva, had accused Quince of infringing a design patent covering the UGG Classic Ultra Mini boot in a lawsuit filed in 2023.
Previously, Deckers' trademark claims against Quince were dismissed last year, as the UGG design was deemed too generic for trademark protection by the presiding judge. Quince's legal team emphasized that the case was about preventing one company from monopolizing a common design. This legal battle comes amid other lawsuits involving Quince, including a false-advertising suit from Williams-Sonoma and a trademark dispute with Coach's parent company, Tapestry.
