Supreme Court gives L.A. streetwear brand greenlight to trademark ‘scandalous’ name

Streetwear has a history with pushing the boundaries — in its graphics, logos, symbolism, and more. However, when Erik Brunetti, the founder of FUCT went to trademark his brand name, it was deemed too immoral. As a result, Brunetti took his case to the Supreme Court and won on the grounds of freedom of speech.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the court claimed that the government could not reject a brand name because it viewed the words or message as “scandalous” or “immoral.”

Brunetti has been running FUCT — which stands for Friends U Can’t Trust — since 1991, selling hats and T-shirts. The name of his brand is used to “express skepticism of authority figures.” The brand owner applied for a trademark in 2011, and when he was rejected, he sued.

While the Supreme Court decision is a victory for Brunetti, it is unclear how it would react should a new situation involve a trademark using profanity.