MELBOURNE: Emu Australia has seized a legal battle involving the US-based owners of Ugg Australia as a PR opportunity.
The Geelong-based brand has issued a statement regarding a trademark infringement case put forward by Ugg Australia owner Deckers Outdoor Corporation.
Deckers issued proceedings against footwear company Romeo & Juliette for allegedly copying several Ugg Australia boot designs.
In a formal release, Deckers criticised Romeo & Juliette of “...misleading consumers and creating significant brand confusion by repeatedly copying our designs, but using inferior materials and craftmanship”.
Emu Australia representative Dave Porter said this argument was ironic given the Ugg Australia brand is “not in fact genuinely Australian”.
“What does the word ‘Australia’ convey to consumers as part of the Ugg Australia trademark?,” he said. “The truth is, ‘Ugg’ is a generic word in Australia and there are over 70 registered trademarks in Australia and New Zealand that include the word ‘Ugg’.”
The US-headquartered Deckers Corporation purchased Ugg Australia from its Australian founder Brian Smith in 1995.
Emu Australia is a 15-year-old company which creates sheepskin boots for distribution in Australia and internationally.