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ARTICLE · 31 AUGUST 2026

Molly Tea - A Rare Look At Chinese IP

A Chinese court ruled that Molly Tea's floral logo infringed Louis Vuitton's registered trade marks, awarding $1.5 million in damages despite public backlash. The case sparked debate about Western luxury brands claiming exclusive rights over geometric floral motifs that resemble traditional Chinese decorative patterns. This landmark decision offers critical insights into how Chinese courts assess trade mark similarity, consumer perception, and cross-industry brand protection.

ChinaIntellectual Property

When it comes to intellectual property (IP), China is clearly one of the world’s big hitters. In this article we discuss the recent Chinese judgment in the case Louis Vuitton Malletier (LV) v. Molly Tea. The issue  was whether the Molly Tea logo infringed Louis Vuitton’s registered trade mark?

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*Image credit: Instagram

Louis Vuitton (LV)

LV is well-known for its luxury handbags, leather products, apparel and accessories, and its Monogram Canvas incorporates distinctive floral device trade marks that have been used extensively worldwide.  Through considerable commercial use and investment in branding, certain of these floral device trade marks have become closely associated with Louis Vuitton in the minds of consumers worldwide.

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