H&M next in line to file lawsuit against Shein for copyright infringement

Fast fashion etailer Shein has ended up in court once again this time facing H&M, who accused the retailer of copying its designs and trademarks. 

H&M is seeking unspecified damages and stopping Shein from infringing on its copyright and trademarks. The series of litigation has reportedly been underway since July 2021.

Zoetop Business Co, the Hong Kong-based giant that previously owned Shein, has been named as the defendant in the court filing.

The filing included photos of H&M apparel as "evidence" that Shein had stolen its designs, according to Bloomberg.

A spokesperson for H&M told The Independent that the company has an "ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit towards Shein filed in Hong Kong."

"We believe that Shein in multiple cases has infringed on our designs and have therefore filed this lawsuit. As it is still an ongoing case, we choose not to comment further."

The case was first heard in Hong Kong court last September. The most recent hearing took place at the Hong Kong High Court on 21 June, followed by another on 31 July.

This is not the first time that the Chinese retailer ended up in trouble with the law. Earlier this month, Shein found itself in court after several independent designers accused the company of copying their designs.

The complaint was filed by three designers named Krista Petty, Larissa Martinez, and Jay Baron, in the US District Court for the Central District of California.

Shein is also currently involved in a legal dispute with Chinese-owned etailer Temu, which has also accused the company of copyright infringement and "deceptive business practices".