Tapestry, the American fashion group whose brands include Coach, has sued Shein for plagiarism. Coach's parent company accuses the Chinese e-commerce giant of violating its property rights and trademark, according to court documents.

Tapestry alleges that Shein engages in misleading advertising and distributes products that closely resemble Coach products. Shein also allegedly fails to make it clear to consumers that these products are not genuine Coach products.

According to Tapestry, Shein sells not only handbags but also other accessories such as shoes and hats, all bearing the recognisable Coach "C." The company points out that Shein does not indicate on its platform that these items are not authentic Coach products, which could mislead consumers.

A Shein spokesperson said in a statement to FashionUnited that the company values the protection of intellectual property rights. In addition, the spokesperson stressed that sellers on Shein's platform are required to comply with its anti-counterfeiting policy.

The lawsuit was filed in California, where a court must now hear the case. The case can be found under the name Tapestry Inc. et al. v Zoetop Business Co. Limited, 2:25-cv-02224 (CD Cal.) on Pacer's website (Public Access to Court Electronic Records).

Tapestry joins other companies suing Shein for plagiarism. The Chinese company was previously sued by Fast Retailing, among others, which claimed Shein sold a shoulder bag in 2023 that looked identical to a Uniqlo one. In 2022, Shein was accused of plagiarism and cultural appropriation by Mexico’s Ministry of Culture over a floral blouse on its website that looked identical to a traditional “huipil” embroidered by the brand Yucachulas.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on March 20, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. Shein's statement has been added.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.