Uniqlo sues Shein over 'imitation' banana-shaped It bag

Uniqlo is suing Chinese online retailer Shein for selling items it says copy its popular banana-shaped “round mini” It-bag.

The petition demands that Shein immediately stop the sale of the "imitation products" and pay compensation for damages suffered as a result of their sale. The suit was filed last month in Tokyo District Court against the fast-growing company's parent groups, Roadget and Fashion Choice, as well as Shein Japan.

Uniqlo said it had filed a complaint. "because it has determined that the shape of the imitation products sold by Shein closely resembles that of its own product, and that the sale of the imitation products by Shein seriously undermines the high level of customer confidence in the quality of the Uniqlo brand and its products. products".

The Japanese company said it “takes a resolute stance against any acts that infringe on its intellectual property and will take appropriate measures in response, including legal action."

A Shein spokesperson said: "Shein respects the intellectual property rights of others and takes all claims of infringement seriously. We are currently investigating this matter. »

The bag retails for £14.90 and has been nicknamed 'the Mary Poppins bag' for its ability to hold a surprising amount of items. It became Uniqlo's best-selling bag of all time, selling seven times last year.

Originally released in April 2022, the bag went viral for the first time when TikTok user @caitlinphillimore posted a 43-second video of herself unboxing items from her mini round. They included: a box of lip balm, a packet of biscuits, a wallet, keys, a phone charger, a hair clip, over-ear headphones, a camera, a bottle of perfume and her EpiPen. It has been viewed over a million times. There have been almost 24 million views of TikTok clips under the search #uniqlobagviral.

The bag is made of nylon, measures 28 cm x 17 cm, is available in at least 10 different versions, with different colors, prints and fabrics, including corduroy, and can be worn on the shoulder or across the body.

The annual ranking of the Lyst global search platform for fashion's hottest brands named the product Uniqlo. as bag of the year, ahead of items from designer brands such as Bottega Veneta and Alaïa.

Uniqlo's action comes as Shein, founded in China in 2008, sells its clothes at low prices in more than 150 countries, fights a growing number of copyright complaints.

Last summer, the Swedish brand H&M filed a copyright lawsuit in Hong Kong against Shein. . Accessories and clothing brand Chrome Hearts filed a similar complaint in September.

That same month, the Observer spoke to three independent designers who claimed Shein had copied their creations and three other independent creators. Designers Krista Perry, Larissa Martinez and Jay Baron filed a lawsuit in the United States, alleging that Shein sold "exact copies" of their work and that it was "integral to the 'design' process and organizational DNA from Shein”. p>