Forget Paris v Milan, it’s North West fashionistas at war as Cheshire Fashion Week takes legal action against organisers of small town event
Cheshire Fashion Week Limited, the company behind the established Cheshire Fashion Week, has taken legal action against Knutsford Town Council after the council staged its own "Knutsford Fashion Week" earlier this year. The dispute, centring on a trademark infringement claim, has gone before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court; the company's initial claim was dismissed but it has now lodged an appeal, drawing criticism from local traders and the council alike.
Cheshire Fashion Week, founded in 2019 by entrepreneur Claire Namukolo Raven, holds the registered trademark covering fashion shows and related promotional events, and this year's edition is due at Chester Cathedral within a fortnight, backed by names including Porsche Centre Wilmslow. Knutsford's rival event, developed from an earlier scheme called "Flash Fashion", ran over five days in May with 16 local retailers and a catwalk show, and the council has already confirmed it will return in 2027; council chairman Colin Banks and shop owner Sally Feeke both said the event posed no threat and called the legal action unwarranted.
- Cheshire Fashion Week sued Knutsford Town Council over its own fashion event.
- Trademark claim was dismissed but is now under appeal.
- Locals and council call the legal action unnecessary and "ridiculous".
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Cheshire Fashion Week is an annual fashion event founded in 2019 by entrepreneur Claire Namukolo Raven. Its company holds a registered trademark for fashion shows and related promotional events, which gives it legal rights over the name and covered activities.
Knutsford Town Council developed a separate five-day event from an earlier local scheme called Flash Fashion. It involved 16 local retailers and a catwalk show, bringing the two events into a dispute over how the trademark applies to a locally organised fashion week.
The case matters because it raises questions about the reach of trademark protection and how it affects community events and local businesses. The events also involve different groups: an established fashion week with commercial backing, and a council-led initiative featuring Knutsford shops.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Cheshire Fashion Week Limited invested in building their brand since 2019 and holds a registered trademark specifically covering fashion shows and related promotional events. Without enforcing this trademark, its value weakens and others can freely exploit it; the use of "Fashion Week" in the same county creates likelihood of consumer confusion regardless of the "Knutsford" prefix. They have a legitimate business interest in protecting their intellectual property investment through legal action.
The case against
The Knutsford event is a small, community initiative supporting just 16 local retailers that clearly differs from the established Cheshire Fashion Week in scale, purpose, and geographic specificity. Applying trademark law to prevent a town council from hosting a locally distinctive, community-focused event extends intellectual property protection beyond its reasonable purpose, particularly when the initial court already dismissed the claim, suggesting this may represent an overreach into legitimate local enterprise.