The Wrap: Forever 21 Files Lawsuit, American Apparel Crowdsources Products & More

Here’s what’s happening the apparel world this week …

What’s that saying, again? Oh, right: It takes one to know one. According to The Fashion Law, Forever 21 has filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles-based apparel company for trademark infringement and dilution; false designation of origin and unfair competition; and unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices. The defendants allegedly offered Forever 21-branded garments at its “Hi Fashion $5.99 & Up” store without the plaintiff’s authorization. And now, Forever 21, who has been sued more than 50 times in recent years for similar reasons, wants $3 million in damages and for the company to stop selling the infringing product.

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(Image via Yahoo)

Sharing is caring—and maybe even good for business. As we reported, American Apparel is crowdsourcing for new ideas to incorporate into its offerings in a number of categories. The campaign is an attempt to maintain the company’s focus on made-in-the-U.S. products and to help small businesses succeed. Submitted product proposals must be made in the U.S. and retail for $100 or less, and the vendors must be able to deliver 500 items within 30 days. Up for the task? Create a 90-second video and submit it by June 17.

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What do you do when you don’t like one of your friend’s friends? The Michael Kors brand has taken a hard stance, saying, “see you later,” to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) after it’s decision to welcome Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba as a new member, The Salt Like Tribune reported. In fact, the company wants its name removed from all IACC materials. Why? Because the brand feels Alibaba has done little (despite its claims to the contrary) to stop the flow of counterfeit merchandise on its platforms. Michael Kors is not alone in its opinion, and this issue has resulted in more attention on Alibaba’s role in the counterfeiting industry.

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(Image via Weibo)

Does this logo look familiar to you? If so, you’re not alone. While Under Armour hasn’t filed any legal action yet, the logo for Uncle Martian, a Chinese sports apparel company, looks very similar to the interlinked “UA” logo of the Baltimore-based brand, we reported. While Uncle Martian denies any correlation between the companies or the logos, Erick Haskell, managing director of Under Armour Greater China, said the company will be pursing legal action against the “blatant infringement.”

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(Image via Find Your Park)

Here in Philadelphia, it doesn’t quite feel like springtime yet—but we know it’s coming soon. And when it does, we’re planning to spend lots of time outdoors. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is, too. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the actor teamed up with the National Park Service to create a themed collection of merchandise, including T-shirts, a hat, tote bag, baby onesie and 92-page coloring book, People reported. But instead of designing the shirts himself, Gordon-Levitt turned to the online artist and production community he founded, hitRECord, and its more than 500,000 members for submissions. More designs are expected throughout the summer.