Aritzia wins dismissal of Tangle’s window display lawsuit

Aritzia has convinced a U.S. court to dismiss a copyright infringement lawsuit. The case, which centered around allegations that Aritzia had copied designs for hot pink, squiggle-shaped sculptures resembling Tangle Inc.’s fidget toy designs, was dismissed by Judge Jeffrey White of the Northern District of California.

The judge’s decision highlighted that copyright protection only extends to works that have been “fixed” in a tangible medium of expression and that an artist’s style is not protectable by copyright, as reported by CBC News. This outcome was a relief for Aritzia, as it removed the potential for substantial financial penalties that can arise from copyright infringement cases, where fines can range from $750 to $30,000 per work infringed, and up to $150,000 for willful infringement.

Aritzia’s defense argued that their window displays were not substantially similar to Tangle’s registered works, a claim that ultimately held sway with the court. The court’s decision…