VICTORY FOR BLACK WHITE DENIM

Retailer Black White Denim in Wilmslow has won a victory over the Scottish Knitwear group to protect the brand from being ‘stolen’.

Owner and founder Jo Davies has forced the South African fashion group to back down on plans to launch a shop with the same name in Johannesburg after she announced she was preparing for a legal fight over what she described as identity theft.

The Scottish Knitwear Group, distributor of Pringle and Ben Sherman in South Africa, has now decided to change the name of its store and in a letter to Ms Davies, Rory Scott, managing director of The Scottish Knitwear Group, said:

“It has been decided by the business not to open the intended store under the name Black-White-Denim but to rather select another name for the store.”

The North West firm also claimed material sent to potential partners used key phrases it already employs. These include describing black and white as the “foundation colours” and “building blocks” of a woman’s wardrobe.

Anyone who has craefully developed their brand to ensure consistency and truth will undertand the need to protect the brand at all times. Jo was determined not to let anyone, whatever their size, to threaten her reputation and said:

“We had to stand up to this, even though we were a small independent taking on a multi-national. We were determined not to let our name and concept, be taken from us. We’re a small independent who has carved a livelihood by establishing a clear niche through a well thought-out, hard-won concept in which we have invested all we have.

“It was a classic David v Goliath fight and, at first, The Scottish Knitwear Group tried to brush us off. However, as the case gathered momentum, and we sought the support of bodies who could leverage huge influence, it became impossible for them to ignore as to proceed would have fundamentally damaged their reputation”.