Mattel wins case against Bratz

Bratz dolls could be axed after owner MGA Entertainment lost a case to rival Mattel. A US court has ruled that Bratz creator, Carter Bryant, came up with the idea when working for Mattel.

The ruling means that Mattel could be awarded several million dollars in damages. MGA could even be stopped from making the “urban fashion” dolls.

Mattel claimed that the name and design of Bratz were based on drawings that Bryant had done while under contact to the toymaker, but MGA countered that he had designed the range in a break between two stints working for Mattel. Bryant settled with the company before the case began.

MGA is expected to appeal the ruling and Isaac Larian, chief executive of the company, is also expected to claim that the dolls do not breach Mattel’s copyright because MGA designers developed the dolls from Bryant’s drawings.

Sales of Barbie in the US have declined by 15% since the launch of Bratz in 2001.