Sean John Clothing Slapped With Lawsuit From Ellesse USA

Article written by: Rodrick Rainey
Posted on: October 10, 2004

Rap mogul Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs and his Sean John fashion line have been slapped with a lawsuit by clothing company Ellesse USA, in a battle over a logo.

Bosses at Ellesse USA claim that a tennis ball logo on Diddy’s Sean John clothing too closely resembles one of their trademarked logos.

According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, the similar logo in question is a “fanciful design of a half tennis ball incorporating tips of two skis” which “is likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception as to the source, association, affiliation or sponsorship of the goods being offered”, says the suit.

Ellesse USA is seeking to bar Combs’ use of the trademark, as well as unspecified damages.

Ellesse USA is a unit of UK sportswear company Pentland.

Sean John, a $450 million dollar retail business, had just launched their flagship store on 5th Avenue. The business move also put Diddy down in the history books for launching the first black owned store on fifth avenue. The store itself sells everything from clothing to home accessories to dog coats.