Art Basel and Adidas are locked in a legal dispute, reports the Miami Herald, with the art fair suing the sportswear brand over trademark infringement.
During the last Art Basel Miami, Adidas hosted a series of events in which free trainers were given out, each bearing the words ‘Art Basel’ under the Adidas logo on the sneakers’ tongue. Art Basel say the use of their name, which was done without permission, ‘dilutes’ the brand and ‘deliberately misrepresents an association, show partner, sponsorship or other affiliation’. It has become something of a tradition for fashion and lifestyle brands to host parties and events to coincide with the American iteration of the art fair. Though the trainers were never sold by Adidas, they have since been offered on eBay for up to $250.
2 June 2017
