Uh Oh. Lululemon Is Suing Under Armour for Allegedly Copying Its Bras
When it comes to luxe activewear, Lululemon is at the top of the game. The brand’s iconic leggings are the “most-pinned” on Pinterest. And they have a cult-like following for their sports bras, thanks to the extensive R&D that goes into their designs. Now the Canadian company is accusing rival activewear company Under Armour of trying to copy patented styles.
Lululemon is suing Under Armour for allegedly copying their designs for their popular Energy bra. Four Under Armour bras were named in the suit: the Eclipse Low Impact, Shape Low Impact, On the Move, and Printed Strappy Bra. And there’s definitely a resemblance — just take a look at Lululemon’s Energy ($52), pictured left, vs. Under Armour’s Eclipse ($40), pictured right.
The other designs in question were called out for the use of “patented technology,” according to WWD. The suit goes on to say that Under Armour’s bras are “so similar” that they’re “likely to cause confusion, mistake, and deception” for shoppers between the two.
Under Armour told Allure that it “takes the intellectual property rights of others very seriously,” which sounds a little strange when you realize that Lululemon has held the copyright to the four-interwoven-straps style since 2014.
But with the super-saturated activewear market, it’s entirely possible that it was just overlooked. If you’re buying your Lululemon stuff secondhand, though, it might be a good idea to double check that that’s actually where it’s from — at least for now.
Do you think Lululemon should be suing Under Armour? Tell us your thoughts @BritandCo!
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(h/t Allure; photos via Lululemon + Under Armour, Stuart C. Wilson/Getty)