A jury verdict in the patent battle between Ugg brand owner Deckers Outdoor Corp. and the popular direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand Quince didn’t quite resolve the ongoing saga over “dupe culture.”
The jury found that Quince’s Australian Shearling Mini Boot had infringed on Deckers U.S. patent for its Ugg Classic Ultra Mini Boot, meaning that it essentially copied the Ugg design. But the jury also found that the design patent was invalid, paving the way for a Quince win.
Essentially, the “split decision” wasn’t a complete win for Quince, but the verdict meant Quince “avoided a jury finding of liability [as well as] an award of damages,” according to Ben Katzenellenbogen, chair of Knobbe Martens’ design patent litigation practice. The attorney further noted: “Quince is also likely to view the finding of invalidity as supporting its antitrust arguments that Deckers is improperly using litigation and invalid intellectual property rights to protect its market share.”
Quince, in February, alleged an antitrust claim against Deckers for using template lawsuits as a move to assert exclusive rights over what the former called basic and unprotectable product features that include suede exteriors, shearling linings, rounded toes and thick soles.
The patent at issue goes back to the lawsuit Deckers filed in 2023 alleging infringement of three Ugg shoes based on trade dress and one patent claim. The trade dress claims were later dismissed, leaving just the patent claim for the Ugg Classic Ultra Mini boot.
