A charity aimed at stopping domestic violence Thursday filed a $10 million lawsuit accusing German sporting goods maker Adidas-Salomon AG of improperly using its name and logo on a line of clothes by rapper Missy Elliott.
Break the Cycle, which has offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, said that Adidas used its trademark, name or logo on more than 40 products in its Missy Elliott “Respect ME” clothing line without a formal agreement authorizing their use, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan.
Elliott, who was a spokesperson for the charity, launched the clothing line in 2004 with an understanding that a percentage of the proceeds would be donated to Break the Cycle, the court papers said.
A U.S.-based spokesperson for Adidas could not immediately be reached for comment.
Adidas bought sporting goods maker Reebok for $3.8 billion in a bid to take on market leader Nike Inc. The deal closed in January.
