Uniqlo is suing Shein over accusations the retailer has copied its popular shoulder bag.
The legal case, filed at the Tokyo District Court, claimed some of the shopping platform’s bags “closely resemble” Uniqlo’s viral Round Mini Shoulder bag.
The Japanese retailer is demanding Shein immediately cease sales of the bag in question and has requested “compensation for damages incurred”.
Uniqlo parent company, Fast Retailing, revealed that a petition had been filed against Shein Japan as well as two subsidiaries last month, according to the BBC.
The viral Uniqlo bag, dubbed the ‘Mary Poppins’ shoulder bag, has been hugely popular online, with videos of the product racking up millions of ‘likes’ during the past year.
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Fast Retailing said: “The company filed this complaint because it has determined that the form of the imitation products sold by Shein closely resembles that of its own product.
“The sale of the imitation products by Shein significantly undermines the high level of customer confidence in the quality of the Uniqlo brand and its products.”
It is not the only legal issue Shein is facing. In December, Temu filed a lawsuit against the retailer accusing it of “mafia-style intimidation of suppliers” and copyright concerns.
Temu claimed Shein infringed on its intellectual property rights and falsely imprisoned its merchants, alongside other tactics to stunt its rival’s US growth.
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