Abercrombie & Fitch Owns The Number 22

[TimDaddy]

Abercrombie & Fitch Claims 22 Ownership


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Abercrombie & Fitch says its chain of Hollister stores owns the number 22.

The New Albany-based company has sued rival retailer American Eagle Outfitters, seeking to prevent it from using the number on its clothing.

The lawsuit filed in Columbus federal court asks a judge to order American Eagle to stop using 22 on its clothing and advertising, to destroy any clothes or ads that use the number and to give Hollister any profits from clothes already sold.

Abercrombie says Hollister owns the number 22 because it has appeared on the chain's clothing since the stores opened three years ago.
Hollister never registered a trademark on the number, but the company claims common-law rights to the trademark because the number is used on Hollister's merchandise, packaging and Web site.

``The suit speaks for itself,'' Abercrombie spokesman Tom Lennox said.

American Eagle is based in Warrendale, Pa., but its majority owner is Columbus-based Schottenstein Stores Corp.

Federal courts have ruled at least three times in four years that Abercrombie can't prevent American Eagle from selling clothes that look like Abercombie's.

American Eagle called the No. 22 lawsuit frivolous in a letter to Hollister, saying Hollister uses several numbers on its apparel and therefore can't claim a trademark on any of them.

08/23/03 20:39

[TimDaddy]

I went to www.hollisterco.com and browsed around for just a few seconds. I found the number 1922 used on one item. Maybe the makers of some history books or calanders will sue them for that. Or maybe people who were born in 1922. I also found a shirt with the number 33 on it. I have already emailed them and told them that if the makers of Rolling Rock Beer sue them I will testify on the behalf of Rolling Rock. "I thought I was ordering beer, but I got a shirt! Your honor, I was intentionally misled into buying a product that I didn't want. :rolleyes:

[mnkeybsness]

oh...so i can claim ownership to all hats that have a sublime (the band) sticker on them since i have worn one for 5 years?

[Sun Baked]

Actually I think they'd own the patent on "Morons in Management" if they applied for it.

You're supposed to be able to patent business ideas these days, and their business ideas are definitely unique.

[Powerbook G5]

Maybe I can claim ownership of the name David since I've been using it for the past 20 years...I'll let all the other Davids of the world to pay me royalties to use my name.

[MrMacMan]

Oh my god...

I've seen ridiculous... but wow.

This one takes the cake.


I've seen trademarks and Patents given left and right from everything to one click shopping to swings.


But saying you have the rights to a number because you have it on clothes is so STUPID!

[Royal Pineapple]

WAHOO thats one problem off each chapter in my mathbook thati cant do because its owned by them :D LOOPHOLE

if im lucky i might get a D ;)

[Powerbook G5]

If any of you are named David, so help me, I am going to bleed you dry of your cash, mwahaha! I will get my evil Asimo robot to grope you all!

[themadchemist]

They should have been smart, and copyrighted the numbers 0 and 1. After all, who uses frikin' 22 anyway?

[Doctor Q]

My reputation has suffered because Q from the James Bond films and Q from Star Trek have used my nickname without my permission. I want compensation!

Wasn't there a joke circulating about Microsoft copyrighting the numbers 0 and 1? Well, 22 isn't much different.

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by Doctor Q
My reputation has suffered because Q from the James Bond films and Q from Star Trek have used my nickname without my permission. I want compensation!

Wasn't there a joke circulating about Microsoft copyrighting the numbers 0 and 1? Well, 22 isn't much different.

Well, Microsoft couldn't defend such a copyright application because they haven't yet figured out how to properly use 0 and 1.

Now, A&F is a different story. Maybe the number 22 is put to its best use on lame-a**trendy clothes for self-obsessed airheads.

But then again, maybe it's not.

[iJon]

i hate american eagle anyways, i like abercrombie more because the use heavier cotton and their necks are more durable and dont stretch. but as for suing, its stupid but if you can get away with it and make money go for it.

iJon

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by iJon
i hate american eagle anyways, i like abercrombie more because the use heavier cotton and their necks are more durable and dont stretch. but as for suing, its stupid but if you can get away with it and make money go for it.

iJon

well, i'm not a big fan of either company. I had a roommate last year who was extremely trendy (and extremely neat), so a total opposite to me, and he used to cutout the girls from the abercrombie bags and post them on the wall like posters.

I don't know why I mentioned that. Thought it was kinda funny/stupid.

edit: just notice that I said "of either companIES." Should be singular. Yeah, I know, I'm probably obsessive/compulsive about grammar, esp. for 1 AM. But that's ok. I've come to accept who I am. :D

[iJon]

Originally posted by themadchemist
well, i'm not a big fan of either companies. I had a roommate last year who was extremely trendy (and extremely neat), so a total opposite to me, and he used to cutout the girls from the abercrombie bags and post them on the wall like posters.

I don't know why I mentioned that. Thought it was kinda funny/stupid.
yeah that is stupid, i see many girls do the same with the games. i just happen to like their clothes. i have clothes from all kinds of companies, im not the guy who buys af to be popular. i got af, ae, gap, dockers, and much much more. actually my favorite shirt company so far has been fossil. my mom goes to their factory outlet and loads me up on shirts for like 5 dollars a piece.

iJon

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by iJon
yeah that is stupid, i see many girls do the same with the games. i just happen to like their clothes. i have clothes from all kinds of companies, im not the guy who buys af to be popular. i got af, ae, gap, dockers, and much much more. actually my favorite shirt company so far has been fossil. my mom goes to their factory outlet and loads me up on shirts for like 5 dollars a piece.

iJon

oh yeah, some of their clothes are nice. I hate to stereotype, and I think my dislike of that "sort" of company is more from the fact that a large percentage of the people who shop from those companies tend to have a certain mentality that there is a certain superiority to be derived from being solidly in the mainstream.

It's more that state of my mind that I dislike. It's hard to describe at 1 AM. Mainly, I didn't like my roommate all too much and that compounded my dislike for the sorts of apparel with which he seemed obsessed. But yeah, you seem cool iJon, no need to defend your shopping decisions w/me. :D And I'll tell you what, you're right about those factory outlets. They make everything a whole lot better. We've got a whole mall practically dedicated to factory outlets near here---I mean, it's HUGE.

As far as the posters, I figure, if you really want to put a girl on your wall, at least buy the poster. I personally prefer to put more classy posters on the wall, because I think that if you have members of the opposite sex in your room, a bunch of pictures of girls on the wall is just kinda embarrassing.

[Gus]

In the spirit of this lawsuit, I have just copyrighted the word "the", and as such, you each owe me $10,876.25 for past and future uses of the word. E-mail me , and I will tell you where to send the checks.

Regards,
Gus

[iJon]

Originally posted by themadchemist
oh yeah, some of their clothes are nice. I hate to stereotype, and I think my dislike of that "sort" of company is more from the fact that a large percentage of the people who shop from those companies tend to have a certain mentality that there is a certain superiority to be derived from being solidly in the mainstream.

It's more that state of my mind that I dislike. It's hard to describe at 1 AM. Mainly, I didn't like my roommate all too much and that compounded my dislike for the sorts of apparel with which he seemed obsessed. But yeah, you seem cool iJon, no need to defend your shopping decisions w/me. :D And I'll tell you what, you're right about those factory outlets. They make everything a whole lot better. We've got a whole mall practically dedicated to factory outlets near here---I mean, it's HUGE.

As far as the posters, I figure, if you really want to put a girl on your wall, at least buy the poster. I personally prefer to put more classy posters on the wall, because I think that if you have members of the opposite sex in your room, a bunch of pictures of girls on the wall is just kinda embarrassing.
yeah i know what you mean. they always tell you that they are in the factory outlets because of defects. but almost all my gap jeans and fossil shirts look thte same as retail, but with more than half the price.

iJon

[Powerbook G5]

Well, growing up in Palm Beach, I too hate the stereotypical roles everyone played to "look cool and fit in". Everyone wore Old Navy and AE and nothing else. It was sick and I couldn't stand the lack of individuality people seemed to have. The funny thing, though, was my second year of high school, Old Navy sweaters were the "cool thing" to wear...so everyone started wearing wool Old Navy sweaters....in south Florida....in June....in 100 degree weather...just to "fit in". Only one word for that--idiocy.

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by Gus
In the spirit of this lawsuit, I have just copyrighted the word "the", and as such, you each owe me $10,876.25 for past and future uses of the word. E-mail me , and I will tell you where to send the checks.

Regards,
Gus

Ah, sorry. These guys (http://www.m-w.com) already own the rights to the entire English language.

[iJon]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
Well, growing up in Palm Beach, I too hate the stereotypical roles everyone played to "look cool and fit in". Everyone wore Old Navy and AE and nothing else. It was sick and I couldn't stand the lack of individuality people seemed to have. The funny thing, though, was my second year of high school, Old Navy sweaters were the "cool thing" to wear...so everyone started wearing wool Old Navy sweaters....in south Florida....in June....in 100 degree weather...just to "fit in". Only one word for that--idiocy.
actually for the first day of school i wore my black ipod shirt, its my new favortie shirt. then the 2nd day of school i wore my gray abercrombie shirt with a girl taking the top of her yellow bikini, math teacher didnt like that to well and told me to go to the office. i thought teachers have better things to do than play fashion police.

iJon

[tazo]

AE > AF

now having said that I think its rediculous to claim that you own a number unless its in the name of the company, ala Union 76 :)

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by iJon
actually for the first day of school i wore my black ipod shirt, its my new favortie shirt. then the 2nd day of school i wore my gray abercrombie shirt with a girl taking the top of her yellow bikini, math teacher didnt like that to well and told me to go to the office. i thought teachers have better things to do than play fashion police.

iJon

where did you get an ipod tshirt?

[iJon]

Originally posted by themadchemist
where did you get an ipod tshirt?
well apple was to cheap to send any resellers any so i picked up like 10 of them at the st louis store.

iJon

[MrMacMan]

I went to my apple store and got the iPod shirt you speak of.

It was on the iPod night tho.

:p

I have just copyrighted all Letters in the Phrase:

'All your Base Are belong to us'


Along with all Roman Numerals, 0, 1 the comma and the '&' symbol.

And aparently I found a loophole and now all Unix belongs to me, including every piece of code and BSD.

--pwn

[mactastic]

Wow, and I thought FoxNewsCorp was stupid for suing over their trademarked "Fair and Balanced"

New lows of idiocy.

[Doctor Q]

Originally posted by MrMacman
I have just copyrighted all Letters in the Phrase: 'All your Base Are belong to us'Thank goodness 'Q' is still mine. Did I mention I own lowercase 'q' too?

[TimDaddy]

My father would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark.

Wasn't that in one of the Austin Powers movies?

[OutThere]

I am copyrighting the english alphabet, royalty checks can be sent to

The Solid Gold Palace,
1 Money Road
RichIdiot, AI $$$$$

don't forget to include my royalties for the addressing...:D

[bousozoku]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
Well, growing up in Palm Beach, I too hate the stereotypical roles everyone played to "look cool and fit in". Everyone wore Old Navy and AE and nothing else. It was sick and I couldn't stand the lack of individuality people seemed to have. The funny thing, though, was my second year of high school, Old Navy sweaters were the "cool thing" to wear...so everyone started wearing wool Old Navy sweaters....in south Florida....in June....in 100 degree weather...just to "fit in". Only one word for that--idiocy.

I've been wondering who wore the heavy, hot clothes down here that I see in the stores 6 months out of the year. :D I still have my winter coats from up north and I don't have to wear one once a year usually.

Well, with the business about 22, I guess this puts an end to "Catch 22", 22 skidoo, and so many other important things. Does this also mean that 44, 66, 88, and 110 are gone as well? ;)

[RobVanDam]

Originally posted by themadchemist
well, i'm not a big fan of either company. I had a roommate last year who was extremely trendy (and extremely neat), so a total opposite to me, and he used to cutout the girls from the abercrombie bags and post them on the wall like posters.I had a friend who put up pages from Maxim, FHM, Stuff, Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler (basically any good picture of a hot woman) on his walls. As in all four of them. As in the entire wall on each wall, four entire walls of probably a couple hundred pictures of fine lookin women. I do have to admit, it looked pretty good when he was finished.

The lawsuit doesn't really make much sense though. They use it for three years and they own it? Emmitt Smith has been using it for about 12 years now, I think he would definately hold the rights to it above A&F.

[voicegy]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
[...] I will get my evil Asimo robot to grope you all!


hahahahaha! You slay me!

[mim]

One of the biggest reasons that Intel went from 486 to Pentium (rather than 586) is because they weren't able to get a trademark for the numbers (a judge declared that you couldn't hold copyright on numbers or sequences of numerals).

Intel needed a name to trademark - hence pentium.

These guys don't stand a chance.

[irmongoose]

Originally posted by mim
One of the biggest reasons that Intel went from 486 to Pentium (rather than 586) is because they weren't able to get a trademark for the numbers (a judge declared that you couldn't hold copyright on numbers or sequences of numerals).


...And that AMD was coming out with a 586 and Intel wanted to sue but couldn't. So they said 'We want to be able to sue' and so came up with Pentium.

Sue sue sue, I love you.



irmongoose

[redAPPLE]

Abercrombie & Fitch Owns The Number 22

... hmm... only in America.

[amnesiac1984]

I had a look at this "Abercrombie" stuff. Its seems generally pretty lame to me. Sort of like your equivalent to our **** brand. ALthough some of the shirts were quite nice i wouldn't want more than a couple of their items in my wardrobe.

AS for wearing a name, I tend to prefer wearing a name that means something other for its own sake, IE wearing a technics shirt or a band t-shirt or surf make shirt or whatever. Just seems to me that there isn't much point in clothes companies names as they are irrelevant. I buy clothes by white stuff and places like that who make quality clothes with nothing written on them.


edit: And what the hell is AF's obsession with cargo pants, they were soooooooo Late Nineties! ;)

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by bousozoku
Well, with the business about 22, I guess this puts an end to "Catch 22", 22 skidoo, and so many other important things. Does this also mean that 44, 66, 88, and 110 are gone as well? ;) don't forget emitt smith. if he's anything like michael jordan and his "23," smith could probably rip the pants off of these abercrombie people.

as for AF itself, i have some rather serious questions dressing in the apparel of a company that makes "clothes who don't wear them." i thought of a nice extension to the company though. abercrombie condoms. we could even call them abercondoms. "condoms for people that don't wear them:" they would be full of holes and stuff, cheap as hell to make, you know. then we'd charge like $4 a pop for them. and people would pay.

seriously, isn't that what they sell? you pay all that money for wrinkly, threadbare clothing, and/or to have their label pasted on there.

i love to wear nice clothing. i don't like being a walking ad for a company i disaprove of.

[dxp4acu]

emmitt smith should sue both of them, as he was the originator of 22, as when people think of number 22, they think of him. kinda like spike lee and spike tv.

[Powerbook G5]

Is that why they delayed Spike TV for so long? I never once associated it with that guy. Oh well, I don't really care for the name Spike as it sounds a bit childish in a overly "masculine tv" sort of way. Off topic though, I love that PowerBook they show on Spike once in a while, it looks like a 17" and very nice.

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by dxp4acu
emmitt smith should sue both of them, as he was the originator of 22, as when people think of number 22, they think of him. kinda like spike lee and spike tv. actually, hardly at all. 22 is more associated with Joseph Heller's Catch-22, one of the greatest novels of the century. it's become a term for lose-lose situations

[Powerbook G5]

In the context of a "catch-22", but the plain old number 22 is just what it is. It's just a number, simply a unit of counting, and I don't see how it can be owned unless it were a logo and that particular logo design for 22 is owned. Much like 311...the number is just 311, but as a name of a band, it is owned.

[mactastic]

Isn't A+F the same company that got in trouble for using the number 88, which turns out to have racist connotations?

Maybe it was someone else.


Oh and I love the shirt a friend has with "Pimpercromby and Bitch" on it. Freakin Hi-larious! Wonder if they'll sue to stop that too?:p

[Powerbook G5]

It's so true, though. They are the pimp and you are the bitch for wearing their junk!

[wdlove]

This is just another example of Abercrombie & Fitch going too far. It seems to be there style for the outrageous. There niche in advertising!

[tazo]

Originally posted by dxp4acu
emmitt smith should sue both of them, as he was the originator of 22, as when people think of number 22, they think of him. kinda like spike lee and spike tv.

:rolleyes:

Why not have the inventor of the no. 2 decide :rolleyes:

As for abercrombie they are ok, but i wouldnt buy the threadbare stuff they sell..

[jelloshotsrule]

it's funny how people will pay more for worse quality clothing, AND to advertise for the company

aren't companies supposed to pay people to advertise for them, not the other way around?


shouldn't a&f, ae, etc be shut down anyways? i thought cloning was still illegal in the US....

[tazo]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule
it's funny how people will pay more for worse quality clothing....

I beg to differ on the worse quality statement. I have had a pair of abercrombie shorts for close to 3 years now, not a single tear, the button's havent fallen off, and they still look good.

Same goes for any other apparel i have bought from a&f.

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by tazo
I beg to differ on the worse quality statement. I have had a pair of abercrombie shorts for close to 3 years now, not a single tear, the button's havent fallen off, and they still look good.

Same goes for any other apparel i have bought from a&f. have you been in the store lately (or at least walked by it, like me)? they have a bunch of faded, wrinkled crap up at the front. what for?

[Powerbook G5]

I find it funny that the jeans that my sisters buy from there look worse and more beat up than the jeans they were going to replace.

[iJon]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule
it's funny how people will pay more for worse quality clothing, AND to advertise for the company

aren't companies supposed to pay people to advertise for them, not the other way around?


shouldn't a&f, ae, etc be shut down anyways? i thought cloning was still illegal in the US....
yeah i have to disagree too. many of my af shirts are made of real high quality tees with neck stitching so well that my neck has never stretched over the many years i have had them. the reason i didnt buy any of their shirts this year was because they moved to a lighter tee and didnt feel as heavy and durable.

iJon

[jelloshotsrule]

hmm. i'll buy an a/f shirt of sometimes good, sometimes bad quality for 10 dollars+ so i can advertise for them.

or, i'll buy them for 4 dollars from a wholesaler (4 dollars is on the high end)

[job]

Originally posted by jelloshotsrule
or, i'll buy them for 4 dollars from a wholesaler (4 dollars is on the high end)

meh. salvation army is the way to go man. :p

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by MrMacman
I went to my apple store and got the iPod shirt you speak of.

It was on the iPod night tho.

:p

I have just copyrighted all Letters in the Phrase:

'All your Base Are belong to us'


Along with all Roman Numerals, 0, 1 the comma and the '&' symbol.

And aparently I found a loophole and now all Unix belongs to me, including every piece of code and BSD.

--pwn

Bah, all useless! I just copyrighted base 7.34269. Now THAT's useful.

:D

[themadchemist]

Originally posted by OutThere761
I am copyrighting the english alphabet, royalty checks can be sent to

The Solid Gold Palace,
1 Money Road
RichIdiot, AI $$$$$

don't forget to include my royalties for the addressing...:D

what if I address it in Japanese?

Oh shoot, that question just cost me a dollar!

And that exclamation, and, and, well I better stop while I'm behind.

[Powerbook G5]

I wonder if someone could copyright stupidity...I could make a lot of money off of everyone! :D

[jelloshotsrule]

Originally posted by job
meh. salvation army is the way to go man. :p

agreed, but if you need blank t shirts to print your own... wholesale is the way to go.

even environmentally friendly, non sweatshop t shirts are only 6 bucks a pop...

[tazo]

Originally posted by shadowfax
have you been in the store lately (or at least walked by it, like me)? they have a bunch of faded, wrinkled crap up at the front. what for?

I was in the store yesterday, where I was greeted by a half naked guy and girl ;)

And I walked right past the faded wrinkled crap because that is not my taste; I just wanted to buy a new tshirt :)

[job]

Originally posted by tazo
I was in the store yesterday, where I was greeted by a half naked guy and girl ;)

no kidding. have you seen their quarterly? what the heck is that about?

[Macmaniac]

What happened to the good old days where AE ment quality fishing supplies;)

I'm sure I'll I see lots of this new 22 stuff at my school its filled with those kind of girls.

[job]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
I'm sure I'll I see lots of this new 22 stuff at my school its filled with those kind of girls.

hah. judging from the amount of girls at my school who wear that crap, i ought to buy some stock in a&f. that and make-up companies. texas bimbos. what a joke.

[tazo]

Originally posted by job
no kidding. have you seen their quarterly? what the heck is that about?

Soft core ;)

[cr2sh]

Originally posted by mnkeybsness
oh...so i can claim ownership to all hats that have a sublime (the band) sticker on them since i have worn one for 5 years?

Ugh.. what does that mean?

If I saw a shirt with a 22 on it I wouldn't think of any company... a 33, yeh rolling rock.. 22, that means nothing to me.

[job]

Originally posted by cr2sh
Ugh.. what does that mean?

If I saw a shirt with a 22 on it I wouldn't think of any company... a 33, yeh rolling rock.. 22, that means nothing to me.

22 makes me think of .22 as in the gun.

spooks used silenced .22s as their weapon of choice. low recoil and such.

[judith]

Originally posted by themadchemist
They should have been smart, and copyrighted the numbers 0 and 1. After all, who uses frikin' 22 anyway?

Ward Burton, Emmitt Smith (gag),Remington, Smith & Wesson, and a bunch of wheel manufacturers, to name a few.

[judith]

Originally posted by tazo
I was in the store yesterday, where I was greeted by a half naked guy and girl ;)

And I walked right past the faded wrinkled crap because that is not my taste; I just wanted to buy a new tshirt :)

Yes.. But which was the guy and which was the girl? Are you sure?:D

[tazo]

Originally posted by judith
Yes.. But which was the guy and which was the girl? Are you sure?:D

the guy was shirtless in pants, the chick was wearing a man's dress shirt. ;) i'll take my chances :)

[redAPPLE]

Originally posted by shadowfax
have you been in the store lately (or at least walked by it, like me)? they have a bunch of faded, wrinkled crap up at the front. what for?

well, almost every clothing company comes up with a "faded" or "used" (like) stuff, right?

even versace had faded jeans and all that.

[putasolutions]

Notice is hereby given to The Devil, (my son) and to all Christians that any use of the number, six hundred three score and six, (666) will open them to legal action based on the fact that I longer wish my lucky number to blatently used to promote religion in any way

I shall be pursuing a suit for $3.25 billion from the christian churches for the use of the number in every bible printed since 1625 :D

[rainman::|:|]

i could see this, if the distinctive AF emblem was "22" in a particular color or font or something... and then AE starts duplicating that in knockoff sense... but i don't think that's quite what's happening here... some knockoff but not total, and i don't think they can win a lawsuit unless it was total knockoff.

but if it was that distinctive and important for AF, they should have trademarked or patented it, it's only common sense. and yes, graphics can be patented, the coca-cola logo is actually patented under the name "coca-cola ribbon device"... has to do with the specifics of TM laws...

pnw