[leadin]Homecoming dances, acne, general awkwardness and mocking those who are different from you are all critical parts of high school life. Jimmy Winkelmann turned the latter into a business in 2007, creating The South Butt to goof on peers who wore the The North Face.[/leadin]
Forget about TNF’s motto, “Never Stop Exploring,” the TSB jokes, “Never Stop Relaxing.”
Even if you’re smiling, TNF’s squad of lawyers were not and took TSB to court arguing the parody brand was confusing to the buying public. But the day before proceedings were to begin, the two settled out of court Friday, April 2, according to the American Daily Lawyer blog. Terms were not disclosed and lawyers on both sides refused to comment about the details of the settlement.
It looks like the parody brand will continue. As of this writing, products ranging from T-shirts and fleece jackets to backpacks and baby onesies were still available online.
And Winkelmann? Now a college freshman, he seems to be doing okay, too. According to a recent South Butt facebook post, he’s in Florida on spring break, in a hotel room with a killer view of the ocean and “partying hard in panama city with south butt.”
Sounds like he’s both exploring and relaxing, an amicable compromise.
