Skechers sues Hermès for patent infringement

In the world of footwear design, it is a common occurrence for a certain shoe model to be taken as a reference for a luxury remake-just think of how many versions of Nike's Air Force 1s or adidas' Stan Smiths exist in the e-commerce of major luxury brands. Sometimes, however, the initial reference comes too close to the final product, and this is the case with Hermès whose Eclair and Envol sneakers possess a sole with a wavy design virtually identical to the Massage Fit sole of Skechers' Go Walk line. That's why yesterday Skechers officially sued Hermès in New York court for patent infringement, demanding a trial and unspecified monetary compensation from the French brand.

In an official communication, a Skechers representative said: «Skechers invests tremendous resources into research and development to introduce fresh, unique and exciting footwear technology to its customers year in and year out. It is disappointing that a company of Hermès’ reputation and standing has chosen to copy and infringe Skechers’ patented designs. While Skechers always prefers to compete in the marketplace rather than the court room, the Company has no choice but to seek legal recourse when competitors blatantly tread on our rights». Hermès representatives had no comment.