Gentle Monster accuses eyewear brand of copying_ takes legal action

South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster and its parent company IiCombined Co._ Ltd. is pursuing legal action against a fellow Korean label for allegedly copying its designs.

The brand in question was cited in a press release from IiCombined as _Company B__ however_ Korean media has since reported the identity to be Blue Elephant_ another South Korean eyewear brand.

In the complaint_ Gentle Monster accused Blue Elephant of replicating at least 30 of its eyewear products_ thus producing designs that bare a “high level of resemblance” to its own.

The conclusion was drawn following an internal investigation_ IiCombined said. The firm further noted that Gentle Monster itself has no business relationship with any other eyewear company_ calling any such claims “false and misleading”.

IiCombined had filed a design invalidation trial with the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board in March_ with a decision currently pending. The company is also pursuing both civil and criminal legal action following a criminal complaint issued against Blue Elephant in December last year.

Provisional seizure applications were submitted to preserve damages earlier this year and_ in October_ an additional lawsuit was filed by IiCombined seeking an injunction and damages.

Founded in 2011_ Gentle Monster has garnered a global reputation for its distinctive products and brand experiences. Backed by the likes of LVMH_s L Catterton Asia_ the brand_ headquartered in Seoul_ further cemented its presence through notable collaborations_ such as with Blackpink_s Jisoo_ Tilda Swinton and Maison Margiela.

In contrast_ Blue Elephant emerged in 2019 as Gentle Monster_s more affordable competitor. In a statement to The Chosun Daily_ the company said: “The products Gentle Monster is claiming are not protected under relevant laws such as the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.”