Backlash after China bubble tea firm ordered to pay Louis Vuitton $1.5m
Summary
A Chinese tea company called Molly Tea was ordered by a court in Jiangsu province to pay about $1.5 million to Louis Vuitton for copying its trademarked four-petal flower logo. The court also required Molly Tea to stop using the logo and publicly apologize, sparking a large online debate in China about copyright and design inspiration.Key Facts
- Molly Tea, based in Shenzhen, was found to have copied Louis Vuitton’s four-petal flower logo.
- The court ruling came from Suzhou city in eastern China.
- Molly Tea must pay 10.3 million yuan (about $1.5 million) in damages and stop using the logo.
- The tea company’s affiliated firms had several trademark applications rejected by China’s intellectual property agency.
- Only Molly Tea’s trademark with Chinese characters was approved officially.
- The court decision led to heated discussions on Chinese social media, reaching over 400 million views.
- Some users defended Molly Tea, saying Western luxury designs are inspired by Chinese art.
- Others supported the ruling, saying Louis Vuitton legally owns the trademark and must protect it.
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