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ARTICLE · 12 AUGUST 2025

Karen Walker Has A Runaway Win Before The Trade Marks Office

K&L Gates
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Limited successfully opposed the registration of the mark ‘Runaway the Label‘ for clothing, footwear and headgear (class 25) and online retail services (class 35).

AustraliaIntellectual Property
Rachelle Downie
Rachelle Downie
Emily Tyrrell
Emily Tyrrell

In a recent decision of the Australian Trade Marks Office, Karen Walker Limited successfully opposed the registration of the mark 'Runaway the Label' for clothing, footwear and headgear (class 25) and online retail services (class 35). We focus here on Delegate's findings on deceptive similarity under s 44 of the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth).

Karen Walker is an internationally recognised New Zealand fashion designer with registered Australian trade marks for the word 'RUNAWAY' for clothing (class 25) and perfume (class 3), and the below "Runaway Girl" mark for eyeglasses, jewellery and clothing.

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(IP Australia)

The Applicants (Premonition Designs Pty Ltd and Mamta Group Pty Ltd) are Sydney based designers and retailers of fashion targeted at young females and submitted that they had used the "Runaway the Label" mark since 2014.

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