Dive Brief:
- E-commerce apparel and lingerie brand For Love & Lemons filed a lawsuit against Shein last week, claiming the fast fashion giant infringed on some of its copyrighted materials, according to court papers.
- Attorneys claim that Shein violated the rights of For Love & Lemons by making and selling products “bearing designs, prints, graphics, shapes, and other original artwork that are identical or substantially similar to Love and Lemons’ copyrighted designs.”
- Lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret is an investor in For Love & Lemons. It’s one of the brands on Victoria’s Secret’s marketplace, VS&Co-Lab, which launched in 2022.
Dive Insight:
The designs the argument centers on include floral prints, which For Love & Lemons attorneys argue Shein used on apparel and swimwear.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, names Shein holding companies Zoetop Business, Roadget Business and Shein Distribution Corp. It also names “Emory Rose.” Emery Rose is a brand sold on Shein’s e-commerce website that markets itself as “cottagecore fashion.”
For Love & Lemons attorneys said the company served Shein a cease-and-desist demand before filing the complaint.
Shein declined to comment on the complaint.
For Love & Lemons didn’t immediately respond to Fashion Dive’s request for comment.
A bulk of the ongoing legal complaints against Shein center on copyright infringement, per court documents, including one under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, or RICO.
