MELBOURNE: Four well known Australian fashion houses have been slapped with punitive dollar settlements by renowned UK brand Ted Baker, in the wake of numerous copyright breaches. Jag - a division of the Colorado Group - has paid Ted Baker A$305,000 in settlement of a Federal Court of Australia copyright infringement claim relating to shirts imported by Jag; Target Australia has paid Ted Baker A$98,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 3,188 dresses; Witchery has paid Ted Baker A$35,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 3,565 tops; and Barry Bowden Investments - trading as Very Very - has paid Ted Baker A$15,000 in settlement of a claim relating to 522 dresses.
A spokesperson for Ted Baker in the UK said copycat trading was "rife" in Australia and was set to worsen since Ted Baker opened its first store in Melbourne. Ted Baker planned to collaborate closely with its Melbourne-based Australian distribution partner Flair Industries to keep a vigilant eye out for future copyright infringements.
For full story and legal commentary see Ragtrader's upcoming July 25 print edition.