A Chinese court orders milk tea chain Molly Tea to pay luxury brand Louis Vuitton about 10.3 million yuan (around US$1.5 million) for trademark infringement, according to multiple reports. The case centers on Molly Tea’s logo, which courts and outlets describe as similar to Louis Vuitton’s four-petal floral monogram. Reports say the verdict is handed down by a court in Suzhou and becomes widely discussed online, with large numbers of views and debate on social media. Some commenters express support for Molly Tea, while others say the ruling changes their perception of Louis Vuitton.
Molly Tea, based in Shenzhen, says it plans to appeal the decision. Several outlets also report that Molly Tea updates or revamps its branding following the ruling. Separate coverage highlights broader arguments circulating online about design ownership, imitation, and why a French luxury brand is seen to control a pattern associated with a four-petal flower motif. State media and other commentators raise questions about the scope and enforcement of intellectual property in such cases, but the court’s decision and the amount of damages remain consistent across the reports cited.
