A Chinese court ordered bubble-tea chain Molly Tea to pay damages to Louis Vuitton for infringing the luxury brand's trademarked logo.

The ruling underscores the aggressive protection of intellectual property by global luxury houses in the Chinese market. As domestic brands scale rapidly, the risk of legal disputes over visual identity increases, potentially costing companies millions in penalties.

The court in Shenzhen found that Molly Tea's floral logo resembled Louis Vuitton's four-petaled floral monogram [1]. According to the ruling, the tea chain infringed upon seven of the French fashion house's registered trademarks [2].

Reports on the specific financial penalty vary across sources. One report said the damages were ordered at £1.13 million [1]. Another source said the amount was 10.3 million yuan, which is approximately U.S.$1.5 million [2]. A third report said the damages were U.S.$2 million [3].

The dispute centered on the visual similarities between the two logos, which the court determined constituted trademark infringement. Louis Vuitton has long maintained a strict legal strategy to prevent the dilution of its brand equity through unauthorized use of its iconic monograms and patterns.

This case follows a broader trend of luxury brands filing lawsuits against smaller enterprises in China to safeguard their trademarks. The decision requires Molly Tea to compensate the fashion house and cease the use of the infringing imagery.

“Molly Tea’s floral logo was found to infringe seven of Louis Vuitton’s registered trademarks.”

This verdict signals a tightening of intellectual property enforcement in China, where courts are increasingly siding with international luxury brands over local businesses. For the bubble-tea industry and other fast-growing consumer sectors, the ruling serves as a warning that aesthetic similarities to established global brands can lead to significant financial liabilities and forced rebranding.