Balance Athletica changes name to Vitality following New Balance lawsuit

Emerging athleisure brand Balance Athletica has revealed a new name after it faced a trademark infringement lawsuit by New Balance.

Filed in November 2020 at the US District Court of Massachusetts, the complaint alleged that Balance Athletica was using a “confusingly similar mark” to sell the same goods to the same consumers, with the sportswear brand noting that the confusion had already occurred with items sold on Poshmark.

New Balance accused the brand of trying to “deliberately free ride” on the back of its already established business and had cited attempts by the firm to file trademarks similar to its own advertising marks.

The case was subsequently closed in September 2021, with Balance Athletica announcing a name change in a press release on Monday, which notably didn’t acknowledge the lawsuit.

Now called Vitality, the family owned business is looking to continue elevating its presence built over the four years since its founding.

Following a renewed growth plan, the company is planning to focus on key pillars of its ethos and operations, including the upgrading of its fulfilment operations and updating its customer service support. It will also be working on steps to achieve a more eco-friendly future, with a strategy set to roll out through 2022.

The company’s CEO, Taylor Dilk, said she was excited “for the evolution of Balance into Vitality”, underlining its mission of inclusivity, commitment to customers and “focus on confidence-inducing apparel”.