This has been running for years with a pre-determined outcome….
Western Sydney ugg boot maker Eddie Oygur has lost a US court appeal against footwear giant Deckers.
Key points:
- Owner of the UGG brand, Deckers, holds the trademark in more than 130 countries
- Eddie Oygur was found to have infringed Deckers’ trademarks but appealed against the decision
- Mr Oygur says he now has no choice but to take the matter to the US Supreme Court
Mr Oygur, the owner of Australian Leather, has now vowed to take his fight to be able to sell sheepskin boots as uggs outside Australia to the US Supreme Court.
The multi-year battle over the ugg trademark began in 2016, when Deckers sued Mr Oygur and his company for selling a dozen ugg boots into the US.
In 2019, a Chicago jury found Mr Oygur and Australian Leather had infringed Deckers’ trademark.
Mr Oygur said he was facing the collapse of his business, owing $US450,000 ($572,629) in damages and millions in legal fees.
His lawyers, including former senator Nick Xenophon, were hopeful following last week’s hearing in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington DC.
However, on Monday they said they were “gobsmacked” after the appeal was rejected with no reasons given.
Read on at the ABC
