Gentle Monster accuses eyewear brand of copying, takes legal action

South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster and its parent company IiCombined Co., Ltd. is pursuing legal action against a fellow Korean label for allegedly copying its designs.

The brand in question was cited in a press release from IiCombined as ‘Company B’, however, Korean media has since reported the identity to be Blue Elephant, another South Korean eyewear brand.

In the complaint, Gentle Monster accused Blue Elephant of replicating at least 30 of its eyewear products, thus producing designs that bare a “high level of resemblance” to its own.

The conclusion was drawn following an internal investigation, IiCombined said. The firm further noted that Gentle Monster itself has no business relationship with any other eyewear company, calling any such claims “false and misleading”.

IiCombined had filed a design invalidation trial with the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board in March, with a decision currently pending. The company is also pursuing both civil and criminal legal action following a criminal complaint issued against Blue Elephant in December last year.

Provisional seizure applications were submitted to preserve damages earlier this year and, in October, an additional lawsuit was filed by IiCombined seeking an injunction and damages.

Founded in 2011, Gentle Monster has garnered a global reputation for its distinctive products and brand experiences. Backed by the likes of LVMH’s L Catterton Asia, the brand, headquartered in Seoul, further cemented its presence through notable collaborations, such as with Blackpink’s Jisoo, Tilda Swinton and Maison Margiela.

In contrast, Blue Elephant emerged in 2019 as Gentle Monster’s more affordable competitor. In a statement to The Chosun Daily, the company said: “The products Gentle Monster is claiming are not protected under relevant laws such as the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.”