Brixton. The place is yours, the name isn't.
A Californian clothing company named after a Clash song about Brixton sued two cabbies from Brixton for selling Brixton t-shirts.
THE GIST ON BRIXTON: "Street Wit Owned"
Who sued whom over the name Brixton?
Brixton is one of the most famous neighbourhoods in London. The name went global through Caribbean migration, music and the 1981 riots. In 1979 the Clash wrote The Guns of Brixton about the area.
Years later in California, a streetwear brand called Brixton was founded, saying it's rooted in music and culture and taking its name from that Clash song. It registered the name in clothing across multiple territories.
What happened to the brothers from Brixton?
In 2024 it sent a legal letter to two brothers running a t-shirt brand called Brixton Streetwear, born and raised in Brixton and donating their profits to local community projects. The letter said they had to stop using the name.
Around 600 businesses in Brixton used the name. Only Brixton Streetwear got the letter.
How did it end?
The community raised money for the legal fight, and the case was resolved last year. The brothers kept the name, but had to change the logo, stop selling abroad and add a disclaimer. They still get international orders every day that they can't fulfil.
Why does Huw call it cultural extraction?
What the American company actually sells is Brixton: reggae, Windrush, the riots, the Clash. All of that became the brand value of a company in California.
Champagne can only be made in Champagne. Tequila, only in Mexico. The law protects wine regions, but not communities. The meaning belongs to Brixton. The name belongs to California. And every neighbourhood with a global meaning is next.
Should outsiders be able to trademark a place name?
Your take. One tap, then see how everyone else voted.
Quick answers
Why did the Californian Brixton send a legal letter?
It had registered the name in clothing across multiple territories, and in 2024 told Brixton Streetwear, run by two brothers from Brixton, to stop using it.
How was the case resolved?
The brothers kept the name but had to change the logo, stop selling abroad and add a disclaimer.
Does the law protect places like Brixton?
Huw's point is that it protects wine regions such as Champagne and Mexican tequila, but not communities.
See you on the next one.
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