Lululemon’s Trademark Strategy and Why It Matters

In late October 2025, Lululemon made a quiet but bold move by securing a trademark for the phrase “Lululemon dupes.” While the term may sound like something lifted from a TikTok haul or a budget influencer’s caption, the decision carries major implications for fashion, branding, and the growing economy of imitation.

At first glance, the phrase reads like a casual search term. Shoppers use it daily to track down cheaper lookalikes of Lululemon’s famous Align leggings or viral Scuba half-zips. But by trademarking the phrase, Lululemon isn't just clamping down on copycats. It is signaling that it wants to own the entire conversation around imitation. The brand is no longer simply defending its designs. It’s taking control of the language.

Much of the buzz around dupes revolves around accessibility. Consumers seek the look and feel of luxury or premium activewear without the hefty price tag. Lululemon has long been the blueprint for this market, inspiring countless alternatives with similar silhouettes, colors, and even stitching. Align leggings alone have spawned thousands of comparisons online.

Legally, most of these dupes fall into a gray zone. If there are no logos and no one-to-one copies, they can usually skate by. But Lululemon’s trademark move changes the game. The registration covers retail and advertising services related to clothing, footwear, and athletic accessories. In other words, the company is setting itself up to prevent other businesses from using the phrase "Lululemon dupes" in ads, product listings, or social media posts.

Controlling the Culture of Copycats

This isn’t just a legal move. It’s a cultural one.

The term “dupe” used to be whispered. It implied something inauthentic, a substitute that couldn’t quite live up to the original. In recent years, though, the word has shifted into a badge of honor. Finding a perfect dupe is now seen as savvy, stylish, even subversive. Entire micro-economies and content genres are built around sharing the best ones. In trademarking the phrase, Lululemon is no longer rejecting the dupe economy. It’s stepping into it.

This reflects a major trend: brands are realizing that controlling the story around their product is as important as controlling the product itself. In this case, the phrase “Lululemon dupe” has become so widespread that it carries real brand weight. Now, the company wants to shape how that weight is used.

This also speaks to a shift in how fashion labels protect their equity. In the past, brands might rely on copyright law, cease-and-desist letters, or changes in design to protect against knockoffs. But in the age of algorithms and influencer marketing, search terms are just as valuable as fabric. Lululemon is targeting where the conversation begins: with language.

There’s precedent. In 2023, Lululemon launched a “Dupe Swap” event in LA, where customers could bring in imitation items and trade them for the real thing. That activation turned a potential threat into a clever PR moment. The trademark might allow the brand to continue that strategy on a broader scale.

What It Means for Fashion Business and Identity

This move could impact how creators and consumers interact with look-for-less culture. Influencers and fashion resellers may have to rethink how they market similar items, especially if trademark enforcement becomes more aggressive. As more brands move to register dupe-related terms, a language that was once playful and rebellious may become protected and policed.

*Image courtesy of The Street Chestnut Hill*

For students at Penn, especially those exploring fashion, marketing, or entrepreneurship, this story offers a glimpse into where brand strategy is headed. It’s no longer just about the product—it’s about owning the vocabulary of influence. A dupe isn’t just a cheaper pair of leggings. It’s a digital breadcrumb, a marketing tool, a cultural signifier.

And now, thanks to one trademark, Lululemon owns more than just its logo. It owns the way people talk about what they can’t afford—or choose not to buy.

Cover image courtesy of The Business Insider