November 29, 2021
Peloton Interactive, the exercise bike company, has sued Lululemon Athletica after the athletic apparel maker threatened its own lawsuit over Peloton’s new apparel line, reports Reuters.
The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday night, November 24—just 2-1/2 months after Peloton launched its apparel brand following the end of its five-year co-branding relationship with Lululemon, a break Peloton characterized as amicable.
The new apparel line could help New York-based Peloton rely less on its bikes and treadmills, after sales growth slowed because more people received COVID-19 vaccines and stayed home less.
In a November 11 letter, Lululemon’s lawyer said the Vancouver, British Columbia-based company would sue Peloton unless it stopped selling its new apparel.
But Peloton said its products and Lululemon’s designs are easy to tell apart, and Lululemon’s designs are too “obvious” to deserve patent protection.
“On top of the numerous clear and obvious differences in design, Peloton and Lululemon’s brands and logos are also distinctive and well-recognized, making confusion between products a virtual impossibility,” Peloton said.
Peloton wants a court declaration that it has not infringed Lululemon patents and trade dress, and that Lululemon’s patent claims are invalid.
In late morning trading, Peloton shares were up $1.76, or 4%, at $45.68, as investors worried that a new coronavirus variant would spread and keep more people at home longer.
The case is Peloton Interactive Inc v Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 21-10071.
Research contact: Reuters
