Skechers SUES Hermes! "You Stole Our Patent!"

Skechers is livid, and claims the high end brand, Hermes, stole their design! 

Here's a fantastic article from RetailDive.com that contains all of the details: 

Skechers is a seasoned plaintiff and isn’t a stranger to being a defendant either.

Over the past several years, Skechers has sued other brands including Brooks and Easy Spirit over trademark infringement, which have since been settled according to reporting from Footwear News. Skechers has also been on the receiving end of multiple Nike lawsuits and one from Adidas.

This latest move separates itself from the pack by being a claim against a brand that focuses on high-priced goods, such as a document holder costing $10,300. Hermès did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.

“Skechers invests tremendous resources into research and development to introduce fresh, unique and exciting footwear technology to its customers year in and year out,” a Skechers spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”

In Hermes’ third-quarter earnings reported this week, the luxury retailer showed sales were up 24% based on constant exchange rates. Chief Financial Officer Eric du Halgouet told reporters on a call this week that the brand will raise prices higher by 5% to 10% starting in January, according to reporting by Fortune.

As for Skechers, its second-quarter results reported in July revealed the company reached a quarterly sales record of $1.87 billion, up 12.4% year over year. This follows activist investor Tremblant Capital Group taking a stake in the sneaker brand last year, after which four board members departed.