Asos to sell own-brand sportswear after paying £20.2m to settle trademark dispute

Fashion website Asos first sparked court battles over its brand name in 2010, but has settled with two companies, Assos and Anson's
Fashion website Asos first sparked court battles over its brand name in 2010, but has settled with two clothing companies, Assos and Anson's

Asos, the online fashion marketplace, has paid £20.2m to end trademark disputes with the Swiss cycling clothing firm Assos, and German menswear retailer Anson’s Herrenhaus, which both took their name-fellow to court over the similar brand names.

Asos’ chief executive Nick Beighton said the payouts, which draw a line under six years of infringement claims in countries including the UK, US and Germany, was the “right commercial decision” as he struck global final settlements with both firms.

Under the deal Asos, which began selling fashion and beauty online in 2000, can now offer its own sportswear range but is banned from selling Asos-branded cycling clothing.

Cycling label Assos, which was founded by Swiss engineer Toni Maier-Moussa in 1976, lost its court battle in the UK last year over attempts to force Asos to change its name, claiming the fashion brand had infringed its trademark.

Swiss cycling clothing-maker Assos is opening a flagship store in London next month
Swiss cycling clothing-maker Assos is opening a flagship store in London next month

The upmarket cycling clothing brand, which made kit for the US and Swiss Olympic cycling teams, is relatively unknown in the UK but is pushing into Britain’s booming cycling market, with plans to open a flagship store in London’s Regent Street next month.

Aim-listed Asos, which has grown rapidly by selling high street brands online, as well as its own fashion line, also agreed not to open any high street shops in Germany to avoid a mix-up with Anson’s.

Asos, which has always rebuffed claims the similar names caused confusion, didn’t break out how much it had paid Assos and Anson’s individually, but booked the £20.2m settlement as an exceptional cost in its full-year results.

The website, which targets fashion-conscious shoppers in their twenties, has defied a wider downturn in retail sales, recently posting a 28pc increase in revenues to £203m for the four months to July.

German brand Anson’s filed its infringement claim 2010, while Assos filed its in 2011.

Asos shares increased nearly 3pc in morning trade, to £46.84.

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