Lacoste sues Marks & Spencer over crocodile trademark

Not so long ago Marks & Spencer took legal action against Aldi for copying its caterpillar design on a cake. Now the British high street chain is being sued by Lacoste for using a crocodile logo similar to its own, as seen on homeware and fashion garments.

According to Bloomberg Lacoste filed a suit at a London court stating it previously asked the retailer to cease advertising and sale of the goods. When Marks & Spencer continued to sell crocodile logo’d items such as dungarees, bucket hats and even duvet covers, the French fashion brand took snappy action, asking a London judge to impose an injunction against the the chain to destroy all items bearing the crocodile at its own expense.

“Animal prints are incredibly popular with our customers and last season selected ranges included decorative crocodile patterns,” a spokesperson for Marks & Spencer told Bloomberg. “All of these products were created independently of any other retailer and we’re confident are unique to M&S and will robustly defend against the claim.”

Lacoste was founded in France in 1933 by René Lacoste, a tennis player, who was nicknamed ‘the Crocodile’. Marks & Spencer “had no due cause to adopt branding which is likely to cause confusion, to give it an unfair marketing boost,” said the filing.