Retailer Urban Outfitters has attempted to distance itself from any wrongdoing in a trademark dispute brought against it by the organisers of music festival Coachella. In March of this year, WIPR reported that the organisers of the festival had accused the retailer, and its subsidiary Free People, of selling ‘Coachella’-branded apparel. The claim was filed at the US District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division. In a motion for dismissal filed on June 22, Urban Outfitters claimed it does “not belong” in the case as Urban Outfitters and Free People are “recognised as distinct legal entities”. In the initial complaint, Coachella stated that Urban Outfitters wholly owns and controls its Free People subsidiary and “mandates an overall business and budget strategy” for it. It concluded in saying that it “respectfully requests the court grant its motion to dismiss”.

Source: WIPR