WILMSLOW-based independent fashion retailer Black White Denim is fighting a ‘David and Goliath’ battle to stop its identity being stolen by a large South African distributor.
The womenswear boutique and e-commerce retailer, with an international client base, is in a plagiarism row with The Scottish Knitwear Group, which run stores for Pringle and Ben Sherman and now plans to open an outlet called Black White Denim in Johannesburg.
“I was outraged when I found out they were stealing our name. It is even worse coming from a company attached to a name like Pringle.”
As well as planning to use the name and concept of Black White Denim, the South African distributor has also had material sent to potential partners of the new venture in the city’s wealth Sandton district, using key phrases already employed by the UK-based premium womenswear company.
These key phrases include describing the colours black and white as the ‘foundation colours’ and the ‘building blocks’ of a woman’s wardrobe.
Founder and managing director of Black White Denim, Jo Davies said: “I was outraged when I found out they were stealing our name. It is even worse coming from a company attached to a name like Pringle.
“We’re a small independent who has carved a livelihood by establishing a clear niche through a well thought-out, hard-won concept in which we have invested all we have. Now our whole business is under threat from a mass distributor cynically attempting to piggy-back on our concept.”
Black White Denim has written to Scottish Knitwear Group, requesting that they change the store’s name. However, Scottish Knitwear Group insist they are going ahead with their plans as they were ‘initiated with absolutely no ill intent’, leaving Black White Denim to pursue the matter through the courts.
Black White Denim launched in 2010 and has since been described by Vogue as a ‘winning combination’. The company featured as one of the ‘Top 50 best boutiques outside of London’ in the Sunday Telegraph and they are ranked number four in Drapers’ 100 Inspiring Indies.
