Molly Tea to pay Louis Vuitton S$1.96 million for logo trademark infringement, court in China rules

A court in China ruled that Molly Tea had infringed upon seven of Louis Vuitton’s registered four-petal flower graphic trademarks, China Daily reported.

The news was reported by media in China on Jul. 2.

The court ordered the milk tea chain to pay 10.3 million yuan (S$1.96 million) to the French luxury brand and cease the infringement.

The Chinese company was also made to issue a public apology, reports added.

The case regarding the similarity over the logos was determined by the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu province.

Molly Tea is a Shenzhen-based milk tea company, and a franchise store in Suzhou’s Wuzhong district.

The Louis Vuitton label was founded in 1854 in Paris, France.

Floral emblems

The dispute was over the similarity between the four-petal flower brand emblem by Molly Tea and the iconic monogram motifs by Louis Vuitton.

The French luxury brand initiated the lawsuit in May 2025.

The ruling was made on Jun. 29, 2026.

Molly Tea is going to appeal to a higher court, it was reported.

Since March 2024, Molly Tea and its affiliated firms have filed multiple trademark applications featuring floral designs with the China National Intellectual Property Administration.

They covered restaurant and accommodation services, advertising, and convenience foods.

Only the trademark containing the Chinese characters for “Molly Tea” successfully registered, while most of the other applications were rejected.

Reactions

Opinions online in China have been split since the case came to light.

Some see the resemblance, while others believe there were distinctions, citing the reason that both companies operate in different industries.

Some online commenters went further and claimed the Louis Vuitton’s signature pattern may have been inspired by traditional Chinese cultural motifs.

A lawyer in China said either party have the right to appeal.

The case depends on which party can provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that its design is original and distinctive, it was added.

Moreover, floral patterns and motifs in traditional Chinese culture are part of the public cultural domain for use by anyone.

However, the Chinese Trademark Law follows the “first to file” principle, where the earliest applicant gains trademark rights, while subsequent applications are rejected.