Dive Brief:
- Skechers plans to “vigorously defend” itself in a patent infringement lawsuit Kizik Design filed last week, which claimed Skechers’ hands-free slip-ins line violates Kizik’s patents.
- In a statement Monday, Skechers said Kizik’s allegations were baseless and added that Skechers holds more than 140 patents worldwide for its designs.
- Skechers has gone to court over its slip-in designs multiple times. It has sued companies including L.L. Bean, Authentic Brands Group and nonslip shoemaker Laforst. However, now Skechers is the one defending its slip-ins patent rights.
Dive Insight:
In the statement, Skechers President Michael Greenberg questioned the timing of Kizik’s lawsuit, which follows the announcement earlier this year that Skechers would be acquired by 3G Capital for about $9.4 billion.
Greenberg said Skechers has been advertising and selling slip-ins since December 2021, “without so much as a letter from Kizik.” He added that Skechers has become a market leader in the hands-free space by investing resources and research into the category.
“We believe that, after all these years of silence, the true motivation for this lawsuit might be found right on the face of Kizik’s complaint, where they state that they are looking for a share of the $9.42 billion being paid for Skechers, money Kizik did not earn and does not deserve,” Greenberg said.
Kizik’s lawsuit was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Attorneys for Kizik say Skechers’ business model involves knocking off brands, and they claim Skechers built its entire business model out of copying designs.
Kizik was founded in 2017 and introduced hands-free shoes, which its lawsuit called an entirely new category at the time. Skechers disputes that claim, with Greenberg saying in his statement the technology had been around for a century.
Handsfree Labs, which calls itself “the intellectual property and innovation engine” behind Kizik, has licensed its hands-free tech to partners including Nike, per the release.
“Despite its vastly greater size and resources, Skechers did not invest in this research, engineering, and design,” the complaint reads. “Nor did it invent or pioneer the hands-free footwear category. It certainly didn’t reach out to HFL to request a license. Instead, Skechers simply incorporated HFL’s patented technologies into its own ‘Skecherized’ versions. But at the heart of Skechers’ hands-free shoes are technologies invented and patented by HFL.”
Attorneys for Kizik are seeking a jury trial in the lawsuit as well as money from Skechers, including attorney’s fees.
Kizik has previously sued Drew Shoe over this issue and later settled the claim.
