Sketchers is in familiar territory and by that meaning they are getting sued by someone, and it is a familiar foe: Adidas. The Three Stipes levied a lawsuit against Sketchers in Sepetmber of 2015 for it’s “unlawful behavior” over mimicked designs of the their Stan Smith sneaker with their Onix shoe, which is a carbon copy of the Smith. That case is ongoing and Adidas has received a temporary injunction.
Monday, Adidas America slapped Sketchers with a lawsuit. The suit alleges the Manhattan, California footwear company is selling shoes, an example being the Mega Blade 2.0, that infringes on a patent it holds for Springblade, its individually bladed outsole. Adidas claims the technology is being used in a Sketchers’ line of children shoes. Adidas had this to say in a recently released statement:
Today, adidas filed another lawsuit against Skechers. We will not stand by and allow others to blatantly copy our products and infringe on our valuable intellectual property. These shameless imitations tarnish the reputation of our brand and our people who work tirelessly to research and develop technical innovations and designs that help athletes make a difference. We are the leader in footwear innovation, design and engineering, creating high performance shoes for athletes. We are a company of creators and makers who lead the industry to new standards, continually bringing the best in high-quality products to consumers. This pattern of unlawful behavior and freeloading in the industry is outrageous and must end. We will take every legal measure possible to protect and defend our innovations.
Adidas wants a federal judgement ordering Sketchers cease and desist selling the shoes that are the subject of the suit and damages, including lost profits.
