adidas Sues Skechers Yet Again for Copying Its Sneaker Designs

The battle for forward-thinking footwear continues to unfold as adidas officially files its latest lawsuit against Skechers.

The plaintiffs listed as both adidas America, Inc. and German parent company adidas AG are taking a firm stand against others from copying their designs, which they outline in this case by evoking an infringement patent law of the United States against the California-based Skechers brand. The case highlights adidas’ Springblade technology (first launched in 2013 and notably made famous in Rick Owens’s collaborative footwear line), and its similarities to Skechers’ Mega Flex series that includes the Mega Blade 2.0 and Mega Blade 3.0 silhouettes. This isn’t the first time the two footwear giants have clashed; earlier this year, adidas successfully sued Skechers for making their own version of the Stan Smith.

Take a look at the official statement released by adidas below and view the designs in question, above. Does adidas have a strong case?

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.