LONDON, July 17 Reuters Athletic wear giant Adidas and fashion house Thom Browne resumed their legal battle on Wednesday, with London39;s High Court hearing the latest round of a global dispute focused on their competing striped trademarks.

New York designer Thom Browne, who regularly uses a fourbar stripe pattern, sued Adidas in London in 2021 to revoke several trademarks featuring Adidas39; iconic threestripe motif.

Thom Browne, which changed from a threebar pattern in 2007 after Adidas complained, argues Adidas is effectively trying to establish a monopoly on the use of stripes on clothes.

Adidas, however, is countersuing Thom Browne for allegedly infringing its trademarks by selling leisure and sportswear featuring four stripes, accusing it of exploiting Adidas39; reputation and brand image.

The two companies have previously faced off in the United States, where a jury rejected Adidas39; trademark lawsuit last year, a decision upheld on appeal in May.

Thom Browne is also bringing separate trademark litigation against Adidas in the Netherlands and at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.

With its eponymous founder watching on in court, Thom Browne39;s lawyer Philip Roberts said that Adidas had used certain trademarks as Trojan horses to prevent the use of stripes on other companies39; products.

Roberts added in court filings that the breadth of Adidas39; asserted monopoly threatens the basic freedom of fashion designers to design clothing in the…