Dongguan Court Orders CNY 1 Million Damages in Trademark Infringement Case for Edelman Shoe, Inc.

Chang Tsi & Partners, a nationally recognized law firm in China specializing in intellectual property and litigation, has achieved a major victory on behalf of Edelman Shoe, Inc., a global leader in footwear and a subsidiary of Caleres, Inc. The Second People's Court of Dongguan City ruled against Defendant 1, Mr. Wang, and Defendant 2, Dongguan Aijing Trading Co., Ltd., in a trademark infringement and unfair competition dispute. The ruling, currently under appeal by the defendants, ordered them to cease all infringing activities, issue a public apology, and pay CNY 1 million (approximately USD 140,860) in damages and reasonable expenses.

Edelman Shoe, Inc. is renowned for its stylish footwear, handbags, and boots under the Sam Edelman brand, which operates in 32 countries worldwide and has rapidly expanded in China since 2015. The company is committed to protecting its intellectual property rights to maintain brand integrity and consumer trust.

The defendants engaged in multiple infringing acts, including trademark and copyright squatting by filing marks and copyrights identical or confusingly similar to Edelman’s registered intellectual property. They also initiated bad faith opposition and invalidation proceedings against Edelman’s trademarks using plagiarized copyrighted works.

Further violations included counterfeiting, where the defendants used infringing marks on products and packaging, copied Edelman’s trade dress for BAY style sandals, and promoted and sold these counterfeit products across popular Chinese e-commerce and social media platforms such as WeChat, TikTok, and Taobao. Additionally, the defendants engaged in false advertising by fabricating a brand history copied from Edelman’s story and promoting it as their own.

These actions severely disrupted Edelman’s business operations, violated principles of fair competition, and caused significant damage to the brand’s reputation and value.

Chang Tsi & Partners implemented a comprehensive enforcement strategy to combat these infringements. This included notarizing the defendants’ online promotions across multiple platforms to preserve evidence, conducting online purchase notarizations to document the sale of counterfeit goods, and performing onsite visits to identify physical stores operated by the defendants. The firm also collaborated with local authorities to raid stores selling counterfeit products.

Subsequently, Chang Tsi & Partners initiated a civil lawsuit consolidating all claims to achieve a comprehensive resolution. The court’s first-instance verdict decisively favored Edelman Shoe, Inc., ordering the defendants to cease infringing activities, issue a public apology, and pay substantial damages.

This ruling underscores the growing effectiveness of intellectual property enforcement in China and serves as a critical precedent for brand owners combating trademark infringement and unfair competition in the region.