Skechers is in legal hot water again. Fresh from a judge ordering the company to stop selling three shoes comparable to Adidas registered trademarks, the Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based marketer is facing new allegations. On Monday, Adidas filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Oregon against Skechers alleging patent infringement. According to the filing, a new Mega Flex shoe from Skechers bears a striking similarity to Adidas' Springblade running sneaker, introduced in 2013.
"We will not stand by and allow others to blatantly copy our products and infringe on our valuable intellectual property," Adidas said in a statement. "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." The company noted that it plans to take "every legal measure possible" to protect its products.
With an angled bottom of high-tech polymer, Adidas' Springblade shoe is unique because it provides horizontal and vertical energy and support, the lawsuit noted. Adidas said the Skechers Mega Flex, which is also known as the Mega
This isn't a new battle for Adidas. The sportswear giant has sued Skechers before, alleging copycat designs for its three-stripe logo, Supernova design and Stan Smith shoes. In February, a judge in Oregon ordered Skechers to stop selling the footwear in question because of so many similarities.
A spokeswoman from Skechers declined to comment.
