Who Owns the Denim Pocket Tab? A Fashion Company's Fight Over Design

Levi Strauss sued a streetwear brand on June 9 over a small detail: the back-pocket tab on jeans. Levi claims it invented this design in 1936 and owns it exclusively. The case raises a thornier question: when a design becomes so common that everyone uses it, can one company still own it? Courts have yet to settle this—each lawsuit adds a clue, but the answer remains unclear.