Pharrell Accused of Stealing Coogi Sweater Designs — Louis Vuitton Faces Lawsuit Over Hip-Hop’s Most Iconic Knit Look
Pharrell Williams is in the middle of a major fashion controversy, Media Take Out has confirmed The Happy hitmaker and current Men’s Creative Director at Louis Vuitton has been accused by Australian fashion brand Coogi of lifting its legendary sweater style for the luxury house’s Fall/Winter 2025 menswear collection.
Coogi Claims Louis Vuitton Copied Its Signature Look
According to new legal filings, Coogi alleges that Louis Vuitton’s latest line — featuring colorful, textured knit sweaters and jackets — “mirrors” Coogi’s trademark aesthetic, the same one made famous in the 1990s by The Notorious B.I.G.
The lawsuit argues that the luxury label’s multicolored, raised-thread patterns are so close to Coogi’s signature designs that they could mislead consumers about the origin of the pieces.
Coogi’s attorneys say the collection borrows not just the color palette, but also the “organic, asymmetric texture and movement” of its signature knits — long considered a staple of hip-hop culture.
Louis Vuitton Fires Back
Louis Vuitton — and Pharrell’s creative team — are fighting back hard. In their response, they insist the claim is overreaching and legally baseless.
Their filing argues, “You cannot infringe a style.” They claim Coogi is attempting to monopolize an aesthetic, rather than protect a specific copyrighted work. The document further points out that Coogi’s argument rests on a single registered artwork — a 2014 Rag & Bone sweater design — which, according to Vuitton, doesn’t apply to the new collection.
Louis Vuitton maintains that its pieces are completely original, using the brand’s monogram and damier check motifs integrated into structured, geometric knit patterns — a far cry from Coogi’s free-form texture.
The Runway That Sparked the Feud
The controversy traces back to January 21, 2025, when Pharrell debuted his heavily knit-inspired line at Paris Fashion Week. Almost immediately, social media users dubbed the looks “Coogi-flavored,” sparking comparisons across fashion blogs and hip-hop fan pages.
Coogi’s legal team now cites those online reactions as proof that the public is confused — but Vuitton’s lawyers dismiss the chatter as “press speculation,” arguing that viral commentary is not evidence of trademark infringement.
Culture Meets Couture
This case runs deeper than fashion — it’s about cultural ownership. Coogi’s bold sweaters became a 1990s status symbol in hip-hop, worn proudly by Biggie Smalls and referenced in his lyrics. For many fans, the Coogi knit represents the intersection of luxury, culture, and Black creativity.
Pharrell, who has long celebrated hip-hop’s influence on high fashion, sees his Vuitton work as a continuation of that legacy — not a copy of it.
His legal team argues that “inspiration is not imitation,” and that the collection honors, rather than exploits, the culture that inspired it.
Pharrell’s History With Copying Claims
This isn’t the first time Pharrell has faced accusations of taking inspiration a little too far.
Back in 2015, Pharrell and Robin Thicke were sued by Marvin Gaye’s family over their hit “Blurred Lines.”
A jury found that the track borrowed heavily from Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up,” and the pair were ordered to pay millions in damages.
That loss remains one of the most high-profile copyright cases in music history — and it’s a reminder that Pharrell has been here before.
What Happens Next
A federal judge will now decide whether Coogi’s complaint moves forward to trial or is dismissed.
If the case proceeds, it could set a major precedent — determining whether a fashion “style” born in hip-hop can be legally protected against reinterpretation on global runways.
Either way, one thing’s clear: Pharrell’s latest Louis Vuitton collection has everyone talking — and once again, hip-hop style is at the center of the fashion world.