SoulCycle Fails to Block Matalan’s ‘Souluxe’ U.K. Mark

There may be “soul” in activewear brand “Souluxe”—but that wasn’t enough to sink its trademark registration in the U.K., where it was opposed by SoulCycle Inc.

SoulCycle, which owns the popular fitness studio chain of the same name, opposed clothing retailer Matalan Ltd.'s registration for the “Souluxe” trademark in the U.K. The High Court of England and Wales on March 14 affirmed an earlier dismissal of the opposition by the Registrar of Trade Marks, which found that the “Souluxe” mark was not confusingly similar to SoulCycle’s “Soul” trademark (SoulCycle Inc. v. Matalan Ltd., [2017] EWHC 496 (Ch), EWHC (Ch) (U.K.), No. CH-2016-000254, 3/14/17