The North Face and The South Butt Settle Trademark Suit
The North Face Apparel Co. has settled its trademark infringement suit against The South Butt, a clothing line with the tagline “never stop relaxing.”
Lawyers refused to reveal details of the settlement, but The South Butt website is still selling its wares, according to the American Lawyer and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Louis Riverfront Times was first to report the news.
The lawyer for The South Butt, Albert Watkins, told the publication that the matter has been resolved amicably, but he couldn’t elaborate. “You don’t know how much it pains me to only say that,” he told the American Lawyer.
He added that The South Butt’s founder, college student Jimmy Winkelmann, was enjoying himself during spring break in Panama City, Fla., where he was giving away his company’s products; The South Butt’s Twitter feed last week described Winkelmann’s activity there as “partying hard.”
Winkelmann has said the fleece jackets and other clothing sold by his company are intended to mock people who wear brand-name clothing sold by outfitters like The North Face.
