Why Lacoste Won a 20-Year Trademark Battle Against Crocodile ?

A legal dispute that lasted more than two decades has finally reached a major milestone. The Delhi High Court has upheld a ruling in favour of the French luxury brand Lacoste in its long-running trademark battle with Hong Kong-based Crocodile International.

Who was involved?

The dispute involved two major fashion brands:

Lacoste – A globally recognized French luxury clothing brand known for its iconic crocodile logo.

Crocodile International – A Hong Kong-based apparel company that also uses a crocodile symbol in its branding.

The matter was decided by the Delhi High Court, specifically by a division bench comprising Justice Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla.

What happened?

The Delhi High Court upheld an earlier ruling that restrains Crocodile International from using a crocodile logo that infringes on Lacoste’s trademark and copyright in India.

The court concluded that:

• Lacoste successfully proved trademark infringement.
• The crocodile logo used by Crocodile International was too similar to Lacoste’s protected emblem.
• The design also violated the creative copyright of Lacoste’s signature logo.

However, the court rejected Lacoste’s passing-off claim, stating that the company did not provide sufficient evidence of goodwill in India to support that argument.

When did the dispute begin?

The dispute dates back to 2001, when Lacoste first filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court to protect its intellectual property rights in India.

Important milestones include:

• 2001 – Lacoste initiated legal proceedings.
• August 2024 – A single-judge bench ruled in favour of Lacoste.
• March 2026 – The division bench upheld the earlier ruling after appeals by both parties.

This makes it a 20+ year trademark dispute, one of the longest brand-related legal battles in India.

Where did the dispute take place?

The legal proceedings took place in the Delhi High Court, which has jurisdiction over intellectual property disputes involving companies operating in India.

The ruling specifically affects the use of the crocodile logo in the Indian market, particularly on clothing and merchandise.

Why did the dispute arise?

The conflict revolved around the similarity between the two brands’ crocodile logos.

Lacoste argued that:

• Its crocodile logo faces to the right.
• Crocodile International’s logo faces to the left, effectively creating a mirror image of Lacoste’s symbol.

According to Lacoste, the strong visual similarity between the two logos could confuse consumers and weaken the distinct identity of its brand.

Crocodile International, however, argued that both companies had earlier entered into coexistence agreements in certain Asian markets, allowing them to operate in different territories. The company claimed that this arrangement should apply to India as well.

The court rejected this defence.

How did the court resolve the case?

The court took the following steps in resolving the dispute:

1. Upheld the permanent injunction against Crocodile International, preventing it from using the disputed crocodile logo in India.
2. Confirmed trademark and copyright infringement, acknowledging that Lacoste’s logo design is legally protected.
3. Ordered Crocodile International to account for profits earned from products carrying the infringing logo.
4. The profit accounting covers the period starting August 1998, when Crocodile first entered the Indian market.

This ruling reinforces the importance of protecting intellectual property and brand identity in global markets.

Bottom Line

The Lacoste vs Crocodile case highlights how brand identity and trademarks are critical business assets. Even subtle design similarities can lead to long legal battles, especially when globally recognized logos are involved.

For businesses, the judgment sends a clear message: strong trademark protection and distinctive branding are essential to avoid costly disputes in competitive markets.

Print