Louis Vuitton's Legal Win Ignites Controversy Over Design Rights
WHO:
AP News - Molly Tea, founded in 2021, is a local tea chain whose signature drinks are based on jasmine and other floral-based teas.
ABC News World - Louis Vuitton, a French luxury brand.
Creative Bloq - Molly Tea, a Chinese drinks chain.
WHAT:
AP News - The court ordered Molly Tea to pay 10.3 million yuan ($1.5 million) to Louis Vuitton for trademark infringement.
AP News - The ruling has been trending online in China, with widespread frustration over a foreign brand controlling a design believed to be part of China’s cultural heritage.
ABC News World - A court ordered Molly Tea to pay Louis Vuitton $1.5 million over copyright infringement claims.
Creative Bloq - The court ruled that Molly Tea must pay a total of 10.3 million yuan in damages and issue a corrective statement across social media.
Creative Bloq - Louis Vuitton claimed that Molly Tea copied its iconic four-petal monogram.
WHERE:
Creative Bloq - The ruling was made in Jiangsu province, China.
Creative Bloq - Molly Tea is based in Shenzhen, China.
WHEN:
Creative Bloq - The court decision occurred recently, with social media reactions noted on July 3, 2026.
WHY:
AP News - Chinese netizens accuse Louis Vuitton of attempting to monopolize ancient motifs after the lawsuit against the tea brand.
Creative Bloq - The case has sparked a debate over the use of traditional Chinese symbols and the origins of Louis Vuitton's monogram.
HOW:
AP News - The state-owned newspaper Beijing Daily highlighted the ruling as exposing a gap in protections of ancient Chinese heritage and symbols.
Creative Bloq - The court found that Molly Tea violated the rights of seven registered Louis Vuitton trademarks.
(UPDATED July 7, 2026 19:38 UTC)
Molly Tea, a local tea chain founded in 2021, has been ordered by the court to pay 10.3 million yuan, which is about $1.5 million, to Louis Vuitton for trademark infringement. This ruling has sparked significant online discussion in China, with many expressing frustration over a foreign brand controlling designs they believe are part of China's cultural heritage. The state-owned newspaper Beijing Daily pointed out that this case reveals a gap in the protections for ancient Chinese heritage and symbols.
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(UPDATED July 7, 2026 11:52 UTC)
A court in Jiangsu province, China, has ordered Molly Tea, a Chinese drinks chain based in Shenzhen, to pay Louis Vuitton $1.5 million for copyright infringement claims. The ruling, which found that Molly Tea violated the rights of seven registered Louis Vuitton trademarks, also requires the company to pay a total of 10.3 million yuan in damages and issue a corrective statement across social media. This case has ignited a debate over the use of traditional Chinese symbols and the origins of Louis Vuitton's iconic four-petal monogram.