i dont believe you can register/trademark/copyright a clothing pattern... so it can look like vans 99.99%... as long as its sans "vans" label they can complain, but cant get compensated for it.
you can patent a design for a pattern per se but i dont think vans has a patent nor do i believe theyve even a patent able design.
an example would be say reebox pumps... or the airmax sole... at one point i think both were exclusively righted to reebox and nike, if bape did a pumpsta using that exact design... then reebox would be quick with a cease and desist
then again Nike has enough money/law power that they maybe able to pull it off (which i believe they did with the original sta)
