— Full text opinion

Is a clothing design eligible for copyright protection on the basis of its appearance?

Varsity has hundreds of copyright registrations for designs that appear on the cheerleading uniforms they sell. When Star Athletica began to produce similar designs on uniforms and sell the uniforms at a reduced price, they began to undercut Varsity, selling an extremely similar product. This case addresses whether copyright protections extend to aesthetic parts of clothing, and if Varsity's uniform designs should be protected.