Eames Chair Trade Dress Rights Affirmed by Ninth Circuit

The overall appearance of Herman Miller Inc.'s Eames chairs is eligible for trade dress protection because it isn’t functional, the Ninth Circuit said Thursday.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California’s $3.3 million jury award for Office Star’s infringement, but reversed a $3 million verdict that Office Star diluted the trade dress and ordered a new trial on whether it infringed the trade dress in HM’s Aeron chairs.

HM’s Eames chairs have been “exhibited in American art museums and made repeated appearances in American pop culture” since ...