Girl Scouts launch new uniform

[Eagledad]

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/girl-scouts-enlists-fit-fashion-design-students-for-uniform-redesign-and-new-apparel-collection-301117925.html

 

In our discussion of uniforms, the GSs approach for a new uniform is interesting. Appears the designers like a modern approach to tradition. I like it.

Barry

[BAJ]

Certainly looks nice, though adding the shoulder loops and the design looks.... strangely familiar.  Any chance BSA had a design copyright on the uniform where BSA could give them free license for making their new uniform shirt and green bottom combo look rather Scouts BSA like (what’s the copyright term?  Potential for brand confusion?) and they could drop their suit for the use of the word “girl” In too close proximity to the word “scout?”  Just a thought...

[scoutldr]

That skirt looks like the shorts I used to wear in the 70s.

 

[ParkMan]

It's very interesting.  I gotta wonder why the color choice and shoulder loops though.  Color scheme is 100% BSA colors.

Good for the GSUSA, but I don't get it.  Is an announcement coming I don't know about?

[SSScout]

Sure evokes the BSA look...   shoulder loop/epaulettes (color loops for Daisy, Brownie, Cadette, Senior? ? ), tan over green,  got the flag over right pocket, service stars, cargo pockets.....  Lavender shirt might not be BSA...   

[Eagledad]

""During the early stages of the project, Girl Scouts and FIT conducted focus groups with current Girl Scouts to tap into the inspirational brains of modern girls and gain insight into what they hoped to see reflected in the new designs. ""

This is what young adult female designers and current Girls Scouts think Scouts should look like. This is in contrast to discussions on this forum that seem to go away from traditional scouting uniforms.

Barry

[dkurtenbach]

Putting all the badges on a functional cargo/utility vest worn over a knit shirt makes it easy to go from meeting or ceremony (with the vest) straight to activity (without the vest) and back again, and without having to tuck in shirt tails.   

[FireStone]

I would be shocked if the BSA didn't pursue this legally. I'm pretty sure they've gone after other groups over uniform similarities. BPSA-US I think was one of them, which is why they stay away from anything tan.

The skirt is BSA green, not even GS green. And on their website they're selling uniform cargo pants in the same BSA green.

To me, this is copyright infringement. I'm not a lawyer, but from the perspective of someone who works in a design field, this crosses the line of similarity and brand confusion.

Edited September 10, 2020 by FireStone

[Eagle94-A1]

41 minutes ago, FireStone said:

I would be shocked if the BSA didn't pursue this legally. I'm pretty sure they've gone after other groups over uniform similarities. BPSA-US I think was one of them, which is why they stay away from anything tan.

The skirt is BSA green, not even GS green. And on their website they're selling uniform cargo pants in the same BSA green.

To me, this is copyright infringement. I'm not a lawyer, but from the perspective of someone who works in a design field, this crosses the line of similarity and brand confusion.

I wonder if the BSA can now file a counter-suit against GSUSA?

[fred8033]

I remember being a parent newly introduced into scouting and slowly learning the turf issues and grudges between the scouting groups.  The more I learned, the more I was astounded.  As a parent, it shouldn't involve me or my kids.  But the division almost pulls the parents in. 

It's not good for anyone.  Each has significant problems.  Each has huge traditions and very meaningful purposes.   The divisive issue is each has resources and staff.  Sadly, I fear the division reduces the effectiveness for scouting for all scouts.  

As a parent, I just don't understand why the organizations can't work together.   The real problem is they should be one organization.

Edited September 10, 2020 by fred8033

[Eagledad]

I think they are reflecting to a traditional Scout style, not the BSA style. Shouldn't we be flattered that the todays youth, who were given the responsibility to design the new uniform, came up with one that complements the BSA uniform. I know many of the adults here wanted to go to a neckerchief with a friendship knot, but the GS youth seem to want more identity as a scout than a neckerchief and tye-dye t-shirt. I hope the BSA complements the GS for their progressive design. 

Barry 

[SSScout]

4 hours ago, FireStone said:

To me, this is copyright infringement.

I don't think you can copyright a color.  Otherwise, all the Walmart cargo pants would be an infringement.  The BSA buttons with the BSA Eagle Fleur de Lis are a copyright issue, but the GSUSA gets past that with their GS Trefoil... 

Look at the Rose Bowl Parade videos , with the Gold Award Scouts marching with the Eagle Scouts.  Similar uniforms?   Stretch your imagination, maybe.  But what a concept !  GSs working with BSs ! 

I think BSA has bigger problems than worrying about a purple golf shirt under a tan cargo vest over  dark green cargo pants/skirt......

[FireStone]

18 minutes ago, SSScout said:

I don't think you can copyright a color.  Otherwise, all the Walmart cargo pants would be an infringement.  The BSA buttons with the BSA Eagle Fleur de Lis are a copyright issue, but the GSUSA gets past that with their GS Trefoil...

You can protect a color if it's is part of the brand and identifies an organization or company among similar companies. You can bet you'd hear from some lawyers if you wanted to start a global package delivery business and had your drivers out in brown uniforms driving brown trucks.

Besides, I'm pretty sure there is precedent for this with the BSA and uniform colors. Probably even more so now that there are girls in the BSA wearing tan and green, and now girls in GSUSA wearing the same tan and green. For sure this could cause brand confusion, and that's where lawyers can (and do) step in.

Edited September 10, 2020 by FireStone

[BAJ]

Since this discussion picking up again reprompted my interest, I did a little Googling.  On the BSA licensing page (http://licensingbsa.org/trademarks/) they do list “Boy Scout uniform, insignia and emblems” on the list of example BSA trademarks, suggesting some level of trademark interest in the look of the uniform.  

In the brand identify guide (https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/310-0231.pdf), they do flag specific hues as defined parts of the BSA branding (and helpfully put “Scouting” in front of each of them... e.g., Scouting Tan and even Scouting BSA Olive.).  

Not saying they should file a counter suit, but it would be nice if this could be used by skillful legal counsel to reduce the credibility of the suit against BSA that alleges potential brand confusion based on the relative placement of the words “Scout” and “Girl.”  I am not a lawyer, but it would seem that if the relative placement of those two words could create confusion, the relative placement of the hues “Tan” and “Olive” in a very similar looking, potentially trademark-protected scouting uniform design could as well.  

Two wrongs may not make a right, but perhaps “two oppositely directed brand confusions might unmake a legal suit?”  One fewer creditor couldn’t hurt in the proceedings...