Aritzia wins dismissal of Tangle’s window display lawsuit

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 left the door open for Tangle to amend its complaint, should they choose to pursue further legal action. Despite the initial setback, Tangle Inc.

did not relent and filed a notice of appeal to the Ninth Circuit, seeking to overturn the dismissal. The outcome of this appeal remains to be seen, but the case has already sparked discussions about the extent to which copyright law protects artistic expression, particularly in the context of visual art…