Federal Judge Shuts Down Skechers' Version of the adidas Stan Smith

Skechers was somewhat surprisingly named as the second largest athletic footwear company in America, but this success may have been boosted with designs heavily-inspired from its direct competitors. After being sued by the Swoosh just last month, a federal judge has now ordered the California-based brand to shut down production on a trio of models, one of which looks a lot like adidas Originals’ iconic Stan Smith silhouette. When Judge Marco A. Hernandez was presented with the “Onix” model in court he revealed he could barely tell the difference between the two shoes from a few feet away, ultimately helping him come to a verdict. In response to the ruling Skechers President Michael Greenberg stated, ”While this is a non-issue from a commercial standpoint, we are disappointed in the ruling and fully intend to appeal it in order to ensure that our footwear designers retain the freedom to use common design elements that have long been in the public domain.” What do you guys think of the verdict? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.