The North Face Settles Dispute With Esteemed Street Artist Over Similar Logos
A jacket from the collection that was promoted in the offending FutureLight campaign. Image via The North Face
After nearly a year, The North Face and street artist Leonard McGurr, more commonly known by his alias Futura, have finally hiked out of the woods. The two were entangled in a lawsuit over an atom-like symbol that the outdoor apparel brand used for a waterproof line in 2019. They’ve now agreed on a settlement.
Futura, who was one of the iconic names who helped launch New York’s graffiti scene (alongside artists like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat), sued The North Face for apparently copying his atom art—a trademark of the artist—without his consent for a US$20 million campaign to promote its FutureLight range.
The North Face’s FutureLight logo
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Futura’s atom art
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Futura previously collaborated with The North Face, and has worked with an extensive lineup of fashion brands including Nike and Uniqlo.
US District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld previously refuted Futura’s argument about a trademark violation, asserting that the generic atom symbol cannot be registered as a trademark. However, he agreed with the view that the FutureLight name runs too close to Futura’s, which would make things more confusing for consumers faced with the motifs.
Reuters reports that The North Face and Futura have settled their dispute out of court, and the judge preliminarily dismissed their dispute on Friday.
The court filings published by Los Angeles federal court did not elaborate on how the two found a middle ground, however.
[via Reuters and The Daily Beast, images via various sources]
