Dior is one of the world’s most iconic luxury brands, known for everything from high-end fashion and handbags to makeup and perfumes. It’s a go-to name for people who love premium, stylish products. EUIPO Rejects Diors Trademark But recently, Dior made headlines for a completely different reason—its attempt to trademark one of its signature bottle designs was rejected by the EUIPO. So what exactly happened, and why was Dior trying to secure rights over a bottle shape in the first place? Keep reading to find out the full story and explore more interesting latest IP news from India and around the world.
What Is the Background Behind Dior’s Failed Trademark Bid for Its Bottle Design?
Before understanding why Dior’s trademark was rejected, it’s important to see how the whole case began. EUIPO Rejects Diors Trademark It all started in September 2024, when Dior filed a trademark application with the EUIPO, the European Union Intellectual Property Office, which manages trademarks and registered designs across the EU. Dior wanted to protect the three-dimensional shape of one of its cosmetic and perfume bottles, most famously used in the Dior Addict line. The bottle itself has a very recognizable look: a sleek rectangular body with vertical lines, a ringed base, and a metallic spherical cap. The Dior Addict fragrance originally launched back in 2002, and Dior argued that this bottle had become a key part of its brand identity, helping customers instantly identify its products and fight counterfeits. But after the application was submitted, the first twist came when the EUIPO examiner initially refused the trademark request.
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Why Did the EUIPO Reject Dior’s Trademark Application for Its Bottle Design?
If we talk more specifically about why the EUIPO rejected Dior’s application, the reports point to a few key reasons. The main issue was that the bottle design simply wasn’t considered distinctive enough to be trademarked. The EUIPO said that the features Dior wanted to protect, like:
- the sleek rectangular shape,
- the vertical lines,
- the ringed base, and
- the metallic spherical cap
Were all common design elements in the cosmetics and perfume world. EUIPO Rejects Diors Trademark Because of this, consumers wouldn’t look at the bottle shape alone, without the Dior logo or name, and instantly recognize it as a Dior product. In short, the bottle didn’t stand out enough from typical industry packaging. And since trademark law requires a shape to clearly signal the brand behind it, the EUIPO decided that Dior’s bottle didn’t meet the standard for distinctiveness, which ultimately led to the rejection.
Dior isn’t the only big brand that’s run into trouble trying to trademark infringement a product’s shape—lots of famous companies have been through the same thing. Nestlé couldn’t get the KitKat four-finger bar shape trademarked in the EU because it wasn’t considered unique enough. Guerlain’s fancy Rouge G lipstick case was also rejected at first before they finally won on appeal. Even Coca-Cola, which is known for its iconic contour bottle, had newer bottle designs turned down for not standing out. Brands like Lego and Maglite also saw their shape trademark bids fail because the designs were seen as too common or too functional. So Dior’s rejection isn’t surprising at all—getting a shape trademark approved is way harder than most people think.
Conclusion
EUIPO Rejects Diors Trademark bid shows just how tough it is to protect product shapes in the EU. Even iconic brands struggle to prove that their packaging is distinctive enough to function as a trademark. While this decision is a setback for Dior, it also highlights how carefully companies need to build and support their IP strategies. As brands continue pushing for unique designs and stronger protection, cases like this remind us that not every signature look can be trademarked—at least not without solid proof that consumers truly recognize it.
Keep reading to explore more of the latest IP news — from patents and trademarks to copyrights and a lot more.
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