A party will be held to celebrate a small fashion boutique’s high-profile victory over the large clothing retailer Zara. The boutique had been in a protracted legal battle with Zara.
Zara objected to House of Zana’s name because it was too close to hers, and a trademark dispute ensued. The business is located in Darlington, County Durham.
The large-scale merchant said that House of Zana, which specialises in handmade kimonos, was “conceptually identical” to it and that there were “high degrees of visual and oral similarities” between the two businesses.
The modest, independent clothing store’s owner, Amber Kottri, argued that there were important distinctions between her business and the well-known retailer of apparel.
The connection between the two establishments was ultimately deemed to be “insubstantial” by a tribunal, and now Mrs. Kottri is throwing a victory celebration to “honour independent companies and how powerful we are when we fight for what we believe in.”
In collaboration with Darlington Borough Council, House of Zana is organising a “fantastic evening of fashion” on Wednesday at the main stage in Darlington Town Center.
Free food, a fashion display, no-cost face painting, music by Finn Forster, the Northern Shakers Bar, a pop-up store, a picture wall, and a throne are all part of the event.
The event, which takes place a few weeks after the trademark triumph, honours the company’s victory against Zara and acts as a night of thanksgiving for everyone who supported the business during its legal dispute.
Many other companies are going through the same thing I did, and Mrs. Kottri expressed the hope that this conclusion would give them the courage to realise that they can succeed.
“I’m very happy I won for myself but also for all the people who have supported me; it’s been fantastic,” the winner said.
All are welcome to attend the event. “After a long trip and a difficult few years, we’re so pleased to be celebrating our triumph over ZARA – and of course you’re all invited,” said House of Zana in an online advertisement for the event.
“Without your help, we couldn’t have done it, and we’d love to see you all in Darlington Market Square on August 31 at 5 o’clock.”
Zara had opposed Mrs. Kottri’s trademark registration and attempted to have her modify the name of her store.
The company said that House of Zana’s name was “conceptually similar” to theirs and that the typical buyer would probably mistake their two brands.
It also urged House on Zana to take down all branding, but she was adamant about fighting for her position and protecting her brand, claiming that doing so would harm her company irreparably and that Zara’s brand name was unrelated to hers.
Mrs. Kotri emphasised throughout the hearing how her modest, independently owned local firm differs from one of the most well-known fast fashion retailers in terms of size and philosophy.
“I am convinced that the distinctions between the marks are adequate to rule out the probability of direct confusion on the part of the typical customer,” Matthew Williams said in a trademark decision.
The court case was defeated last month, and Mrs. Kottri expressed her relief by saying: “There were certain days when I was convinced that Zara would win, but once I looked back through all the words of support and saw all the individuals who signed the petition, I thought: “absolutely no way.”
A Barnard Castle firm in County Durham was compelled to alter its name from “Zara Countrywear” in 2016 after receiving threats from the same business.
Inditex, the company that owns Zara, justified its choice to sue Mrs. Kotrri in April.
While declining to comment on the actual ruling, a Zara spokesman earlier this month told the MailOnline that the company “continues to wish Ms. Kottri and her business luck in the future.”
House of Zana, which she first established online in 2018, focuses on high-quality apparel that is sustainably and ethically produced.
Due to the popularity of its concept shop on Darlington’s Grange Road, it expanded into Teesside Airport and now has a worldwide internet following.
Mrs. Kottri, a former art and design student, is essential to the day-to-day operations, from choosing materials to creating garments.
In contrast, the term Zana means “fairy” in Albanian, the nation where the business was founded and where a production facility is located.
We don’t think anybody has confused House of Zana with Zara, Mrs. Kotri stated in April. We are a tiny company that specialises in making kimonos by hand.
“While Zara is a well-known fashion brand with over 2,000 retail outlets worldwide and a vast product selection, we have one modest concept store in the North East of England and a website to assist market our items.”
There is no chance that people would mistake us for Zara, so why should a corporate behemoth be permitted to forbid a tiny company from using a name that isn’t even somewhat similar to theirs and would destroy our brand?
We are aware that we pose no danger to them, yet they have the power to undo all we have fought so hard to achieve.