Clothing company sparks patent row after registering 'Jesus' as a trademark

[dipsydoodle]

Do not take the Lord's name in vain: Clothing company sparks patent row after registering 'Jesus' as a trademark

An unholy row has erupted in the US after an independent clothing label discovered that 'Jesus' has been registered as a trademark.

When Michael Julius Anton, from Virginia, wanted to patent his company Jesus Surfed he found that an Italian jeans label had already beaten him to it.

Jesus Jeans was registered with the US Patent and Trademark office in 2007 and lawyers have told Mr Anton he cannot trade commercially using his chosen name.

Jesus Jeans has reportedly warned dozens other apparel start ups in the US against using Jesus in their brand since winning the patent.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2285211/Jesus-Jeans-Clothing-company-sparks-patent-row-registering-Jesus-trademark.html#ixzz2M7w668Lg

[MineralMan]

1. Jesus! What great-looking jeans!

I guess that's the idea anyhow. Of course, I'm pronouncing the name in Spanish, so it has nothing to do with religion.

[pinboy3niner]

2. Boy, do I feel dumb

I didn't know they even HAD jeans back then.

[hunter]

3. If Abercrombie & Fitch can sue the city of Hollister for using it's trademarked name...

...why can't Jesus Jeans do the same sort of thing?

Hollister, Calif., is at odds with Abercrombie over name

Welcome to the original Hollister, Calif., incorporated in 1872, birthplace of American biker culture and inspiration for the 1953 film "The Wild One," starring Marlon Brando.

It's nothing like the mythical Hollister known to teenagers -- an idyllic Southern California beach town that is portrayed in more than 500 clothing stores across the country, Canada and the United Kingdom.

That's a myth created and cultivated by Abercrombie & Fitch, the Ohio clothing giant that started the hugely popular Hollister Co. surf-wear line in 2000. The colorful T-shirts, cotton hoodies and faded jeans extolling the Hollister name have made it one of the most recognized brands among teens.

But the popularity seems to stop at the Hollister city limits, where residents say Abercrombie & Fitch has hijacked the town's name and threatened to sue merchants who sell clothes displaying it. Even worse, the company has refused to open an outlet that could help boost the slumping local economy.

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/24/business/fi-hollister24