Can Heritage Brands Own the Look of Workwear?

Levi Strauss sued Globe International on June 9 over a competitor's use of back-pocket tabs, claiming trademark infringement on a design it's owned since 1936. The case highlights a lasting puzzle: as workwear style moved into mainstream fashion, the line between copying and homage vanished. Courts keep ruling differently on whether heritage brands can claim exclusive rights to designs now woven into our shared visual language.