Street artist Futura sues The North Face for unauthorized use of his atom logo

Leonard McGurr, known as Futura, a pioneering American street artist active in New York since the 1970s, has filed a lawsuit against The North Face Apparel Corp. in the California district court. Futura claims the outdoor clothing brand used a design nearly identical to his signature atom logo—a graphic stylization that has become his hallmark—without authorization. The logo appears on a new product line called Futuralight. The artist argues the use of both the design and the name is not coincidental but a deliberate attempt to exploit his fame and reputation, constituting copyright infringement. He seeks an injunction to stop The North Face from further use of the mark and to prevent its registration as a trademark, as well as damages. The case has garnered significant media attention on both sides of the Atlantic. This is not the first instance of a street artist challenging a fashion brand over alleged unauthorized reproduction of artwork on clothing or in advertising. Previously, the MSK crew (Jason "Revok" Williams, Victor "Reyes" Chapa, and Jeoffrey "Steel") complained about a 2012 San Francisco mural being reproduced in the Cavalli Graffiti Girls collection for spring/summer 2014. Such lawsuits often end in confidential settlements. It remains to be seen whether the parties will reach an agreement—typically involving substantial financial compensation for the artist, especially in the US—or whether the court will rule on copyright protection for street art.