Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, founder of the luxury florist company Flowerbx, has won a High Court ruling against a rival business with a similar name. The dispute arose after Lukasz Gajewski established Flowers Box London Ltd, which Bromberg Hawkings argued was infringing on her company’s trademark and causing customer confusion.
Flowerbx, founded in 2015 by Bromberg Hawkings following her previous work with Gucci and Tom Ford, specializes in high-end floral arrangements. The company’s clientele includes notable figures such as Victoria Beckham, actress Julianne Moore, and luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Jimmy Choo. By 2023, Flowerbx reported an annual turnover exceeding £4 million and had built a reputation for “luxury and stylish floral design of the highest quality,” a status recognized in the company’s trademark registration filed in July 2017.
The legal action stemmed from claims that Flowers Box London, incorporated in 2019 by Gajewski, was marketing itself under names close enough to Flowerbx to cause confusion among customers. Bromberg Hawkings contended that some potential clients mistakenly placed orders with Gajewski’s company, leading to lost business. During the trial, it was revealed that Flowers Box London received congratulatory messages related to five-star reviews meant for Flowerbx and that Gajewski had logged into Flowerbx’s website and subscribed to its marketing emails.
Recorder Amanda Michaels presided over the case and ruled that Flowers Box London had breached Flowerbx’s trademark and gained an unfair commercial advantage. While the judge acknowledged that Gajewski may not have intentionally sought to capitalize on Flowerbx’s reputation, she noted that from 2019 onward his company traded with awareness of Flowerbx’s established brand. The ruling emphasized that Flowers Box London had effectively benefited by associating itself with the reputation Flowerbx had cultivated.
The court heard about Flowerbx’s high-profile collaborations, including floral displays for the London club Annabel’s, a temporary boutique installation at Victoria Beckham’s London store, and arrangements for the 50th birthday celebrations of both Victoria and David Beckham. Gajewski, who has cited a personal background in floristry through his mother, stated that Flowers Box London began trading in 2017, predating its formal incorporation.
A future hearing will determine the amount of damages owed to Bromberg Hawkings. The judgment highlights ongoing challenges in trademark enforcement within competitive luxury markets, particularly where brand names bear close similarity and consumer confusion is likely.