{"id":6957,"date":"2025-08-06T07:58:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T07:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=6957"},"modified":"2025-08-06T08:11:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T08:11:48","slug":"aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Aesthetic Appeal Versus Functional Utility and Infringement of Design"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Travel_Blue_Products_India_Pvt_Ltd_v_Miniso_Life_Style_Pvt_Ltd\"><\/span>Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. v. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The case of <strong>Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. vs. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd.<\/strong> presents a detailed exploration of the legal thresholds that govern protection under the <em>Designs Act, 2000<\/em> and the tort of passing off. The plaintiffs alleged that the defendants had engaged in piracy of a registered design and passed off their travel neck pillows as those of the plaintiffs.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Travel_Blue_Products_India_Pvt_Ltd_v_Miniso_Life_Style_Pvt_Ltd\" >Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. v. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Factual_Background\" >Factual Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Procedural_Background\" >Procedural Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Core_Dispute\" >Core Dispute<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Discussion_on_Judgments\" >Discussion on Judgments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Reasoning_and_Analysis\" >Reasoning and Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Final_Decision\" >Final Decision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Law_Settled_in_This_Case\" >Law Settled in This Case<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/aesthetic-appeal-versus-functional-utility-and-infringement-of-design\/#Case_Details\" >Case Details<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>The key issue was whether the plaintiffs\u2019 aesthetic design qualified for statutory protection and whether the defendants\u2019 product was an obvious imitation causing consumer confusion.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Factual_Background\"><\/span>Factual Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Travel Blue Limited, a UK-based company, created the &#8220;Tranquility Neck Pillow.&#8221; Its Indian subsidiary marketed and sold the product across online and offline platforms. Designed in 2015, the pillow was registered in India on <strong>24 July 2017<\/strong> (Registration No. 281315) and protected until 2030. The design is also registered in the EU, US, China, and Australia.<\/p>\n<p>The plaintiffs reported over \u20b970 lakhs in sales for FY 2024\u20132025 and claimed the product gained wide recognition and customer trust.<\/p>\n<p>The defendants were accused of selling similar-looking neck pillows using identical colors (gray, blue, purple, pink), amounting to design piracy and passing off.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Procedural_Background\"><\/span>Procedural Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The plaintiffs approached the Bombay High Court seeking interim relief, which was granted on <strong>24 September 2024<\/strong>. Defendants responded with an affidavit challenging the claim&#8217;s maintainability. Both sides agreed to treat the interim application as final. The final judgment was delivered on <strong>31 July 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Core_Dispute\"><\/span>Core Dispute<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The primary questions were:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Did the defendants infringe on the plaintiffs\u2019 registered design under Section 22 of the Designs Act, 2000?<\/li>\n<li>Was the design entitled to protection, or was it disqualified for being functional or lacking novelty?<\/li>\n<li>Did the defendants commit passing off?<\/li>\n<li>Was there suppression of material facts by the plaintiffs?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Discussion_on_Judgments\"><\/span>Discussion on Judgments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Plaintiffs relied on precedents like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Whirlpool of India Ltd. v. Videocon Industries Ltd.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Videocon v. Whirlpool<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Sirona Hygiene Pvt. Ltd. v. Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Faber-Castell v. Pikpen Pvt. Ltd.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Parle v. DS Innovative<\/em> and <em>Frito-Lay v. Balaji Wafers<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Asian Rubber v. Jasco Rubbers<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These cases emphasized that visual appeal and distinctiveness are critical for design protection and that even functional designs can be protected if they possess aesthetic value.<\/p>\n<p>The defendants cited:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Cryogas Equipment Pvt. Ltd. v. Inox India Ltd.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Smithkline Beecham Plc v. Hindustan Lever Ltd.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>ITC Ltd. v. Controller of Patents and Designs<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Indiana Gratings v. Anand Udyog<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Atomberg Technologies v. Luker Electric<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Empire Industries Ltd. v. Union of India<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These decisions asserted that functional features should not qualify for design protection.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reasoning_and_Analysis\"><\/span>Reasoning and Analysis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh clarified that under Section 2(d) of the Designs Act, a design must appeal to the eye and not be a mere mechanical device. The Court found the plaintiffs&#8217; product aesthetically appealing despite some functional elements.<\/p>\n<p>The Court rejected the argument that the design lacked novelty, noting that defendants failed to prove prior publication or similar designs. The \u201conly option\u201d test remained valid, and the design&#8217;s visual appeal made it registrable.<\/p>\n<p>On passing off, the Court found that the plaintiffs had established goodwill and customer recognition since 2015. The resemblance was strong enough to cause consumer confusion, especially as the products were displayed unpackaged.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Decision\"><\/span>Final Decision<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Court granted interim relief, restraining the defendants from manufacturing or advertising the impugned products. The Court held that the plaintiffs had a strong prima facie case of design infringement and passing off. The balance of convenience favored the plaintiffs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Law_Settled_in_This_Case\"><\/span>Law Settled in This Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The judgment reaffirms that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A design with both functional and aesthetic elements can be protected if it has eye appeal.<\/li>\n<li>The \u201conly option\u201d test still applies even after <em>Cryogas<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Foreign registrations without prior publication proof can\u2019t cancel Indian design rights.<\/li>\n<li>Visual similarity alone may constitute passing off if it misleads consumers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Case_Details\"><\/span>Case Details<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Case Title:<\/strong> Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. and Anr. v. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd. and Anr.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Date of Order:<\/strong> 31st July, 2025<\/li>\n<li><strong>Case Number:<\/strong> Interim Application (L) No. 28407 of 2024 in Commercial IPR Suit (L) No. 28275 of 2024<\/li>\n<li><strong>Neutral Citation:<\/strong> 2025:BHC-OS:12294<\/li>\n<li><strong>Court:<\/strong> High Court of Judicature at Bombay<\/li>\n<li><strong>Judge:<\/strong> Hon\u2019ble Ms. Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Disclaimer:<\/b>\u00a0The information shared here is intended to serve the public interest by offering insights and perspectives. However, readers are advised to exercise their own discretion when interpreting and applying this information. The content herein is subjective and may contain errors in perception, interpretation, and presentation.<\/p>\n<p><b>Written By: Advocate Ajay Amitabh Suman<\/b>, IP Adjutor &#8211; Patent and Trademark Attorney<br \/>\nEmail: ajayamitabhsuman@gmail.com, Ph no: 9990389539<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. v. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd. Introduction The case of Travel Blue Products India Pvt. Ltd. vs. Miniso Life Style Pvt. Ltd. presents a detailed exploration of the legal thresholds that govern protection under the Designs Act, 2000 and the tort of passing off. The plaintiffs alleged that the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[28],"class_list":{"0":"post-6957","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-intellectual-property","7":"tag-top-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6957\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}