Despite beards reigning supreme right now (at least according to the face of just about every famous guy we know) the battle between razor blade makers for customers who still prefer a clean shave is getting competitive. The go-to option for most guys is usually big buy-it-at-the-drug-store brands, but, much like the tech industry, upstarts are disrupting the marketplace with lower prices and promises of convenience. And one of the most successful of these direct-to-customer labels is Dollar Shave Club, whose tongue-in-cheek commercials have gone viral over the past few years. They also unveiled their first ever Super Bowl spot just a few weeks ago. But with success comes attention—and sometimes controversy. In December, Gillette filed a lawsuit claiming DSC stole one of its patents, specifically one designed to reduce wear and tear on its razor blades.

Though DSC remained quiet regarding the lawsuit for a while, today the LA Times is reporting that Dollar Shave Club has filed a counterclaim against Gillette. In a statement, the brand said, "We prefer to have the Dollar Shave Club experience speak for itself in the marketplace, and we are not intimidated by Gillette's attempts to thwart competition with litigation.” In response, Gillette defended its original suit, stating that the brand is built on creating innovative products. In fact, younger customers likely don't remember a time when razors had less than three blades, and have Gillette to thank for it. Things probably won't shake out for a while, and as long as Dollar Shave Club continues to grow, they'll likely keep encountering issues with established companies. The point is, obvious that the razor blade business ain't what it used to be.

Jake Woolf is a writer who has covered men’s style for over ten years and has contributed to GQ since 2014. A graduate of Parsons The New School for Design (good school, long name), he also has bylines at Robb Report, HighSnobiety, Pitchfork, and the defunct #menswear website Four Pins... Read moreWriterXRelated Stories for GQShaving