Dryrobe Wins High Court Trademark Case Against D-Robe
The High Court in London has ruled against D-Robe in a trademark dispute, finding the company guilty of passing off. Judge Melissa Clarke identified a high degree of visual similarity between the D-Robe and Dryrobe brands and determined that a substantial portion of attentive consumers would likely confuse the two. Consequently, D-Robe has been ordered to cease selling D-Robe-branded items within a week.
D-Robe had argued that Dryrobe had become a generic term, but the court ruled that Dryrobe remained a distinct brand name as of 2022. Dryrobe founder Gideon Bright launched the business in 2010, and the company saw sales grow from £1.3 million in 2017 to £20.3 million in 2021, with profits reaching £8 million. Sales declined slightly to about £18 million by 2023.
Following the ruling, D-Robe rebranded to Delta Roam in May. The stock of the D-Robe range sold out, and the company plans to expand its presence in Europe and the US with a product featuring model Jodie Kidd.
Dryrobe intends to seek compensation from D-Robe's owners for trademark infringement and aims to pursue protection against copycat products. This case follows a separate trademark settlement Dryrobe reached with Superdry in 2023 regarding the use of the word 'dry' in branding.
