H&M sues Shein for copyright infringement

H&M has decided to initiate legal proceedings against Chinese online retailer

H&M has initiated legal proceedings against Chinese online retailer Shein for copyright infringement. The Swedish fashion giant, preparing to open its largest 29,000-square-foot store soon in the world, has filed a lawsuit in Hong Kong, where Shein is based.

The Swedish company seeks unspecified damages and an injunction, accusing the competitor of copying designs and infringing copyrights on its products.

The next hearing in the case is reportedly scheduled for July 31, 2023. As evidence of copyright infringement, H&M operates with photos of products, including swimwear and sweaters. The statement says Shein has “infringed on the designs” of the brand in many cases.

“The brand has made billions by creating a secretive algorithm that astonishingly determines nascent fashion trends – and by coupling it with a corporate structure, including production and fulfillment schemes that are perfectly executed to grease the wheels of the algorithm, including its unsavory and illegal aspects,” claimed artists Krista Perry, Larissa Martinez, and Jay Baron.