Bentley Motors Loses Trademark Battle to Bentley Clothing
In a lengthy trademark dispute spanning twenty years, Bentley Motors has reportedly lost a lawsuit against Bentley Clothing, a clothing manufacturer based in Manchester, England. The ruling was issued by Judge Richard Hacon on November 1, affirming that Bentley Motors had progressively infringed on trademarks owned by Bentley Clothing. As a result, the automaker must pay $532,600 (£400,000) to the clothing company to cover court costs. Bentley Motors is planning to appeal the decision, which may have implications in the future.
Founded in 1962, Bentley Clothing has held the rights to the "Bentley" trademark in the apparel industry since 1982. The trademark ownership transferred to Bob Lees when he purchased the company in 1990. In 1998, Lees sought to license the Bentley brand to Bentley Motors, aiming to support the automaker, which had struggled compared to Rolls-Royce. However, Bentley Motors declined his proposal. A decade later, the automaker attempted to take legal action to reclaim the trademark but was unsuccessful. Christopher Lees, Bob’s son, described the ten-year legal battle as "ruinous, financially and emotionally."
“We’re still open to reaching a fair settlement, but the costs of this legal process mean any discussions now require significantly larger figures,” Christopher Lees stated to The Times. “We would prefer to assist Bentley Motors and its employees rather than oppose them in court.”
Should Bentley Motors’ appeal not succeed, the company will need to dispose of its inventory of now-illegal branded merchandise, which has already been removed from its website, by December 18. Items slated for destruction include leather jackets priced over $2,700 (£2,150). Additionally, a further hearing will assess the revenue and profits generated by Bentley Motors’ clothing line to establish damages owed to Bentley Clothing.
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