Shein turns the tables by taking Temu to court

Fast fashion giant Shein – which itself has been the subject of multiple lawsuits for copying designs – is reversing roles by taking fashion app Temu to court for stealing thousands of images from its website.

The China-based retailer, which garners a loyal Gen Z following, is suing its rival in London’s High Court over copyright infringement.

Shein, which currently stands as the world’s largest fashion retailer, claims it has "identified thousands of instances" where third-party sellers on Temu had used pictures taken from Shein’s website to market their products.

According to the Telegraph, Shein accused Temu of "competing unfairly". The case, filed in August, sees Shein request at least £100,000 in damages and an injunction against Temu to demanded all violating posts be taken down.

Temu launched in 2022 in the US and has since been crowned one of the fastest growing apps of all time, with an estimated 9 million users in the UK. The app sells third party products at 90% off, reflective of its whitty tagline, "shop like a billionaire".

This recent court filing isn’t the first time Shein commenced a legal battle with Temu. In December 2022, Shein sued Temu in the US, accusing its rival of "deliberately imitating and pretending to be the Shein brand".

However, it seems as though the tables as turned after Shein has spent its fair share of time in court. In July, the company faced H&M, after it was accused of copying designs and trademarks. In the same month, Shein found itself in court after several independent designers accused the company of copying their designs.