words // Brandon Richard
Under the belief that their trademark stripe design has been infringed upon, adidas has filed a lawsuit against California-based footwear company Radii in federal court. Adidas is not only looking to halt the sales of two Radii lifestyle models, but is seeking damages in the case as well. According to a report by OregonLive, representatives for Radii have denied the allegation.
The two models in question are the 420 Piped and Straight Jacket, two strapped high-tops from the Radii lifestyle range. Stripes are visually evident on the 420 Piped, while the Straight Jacket features three buckled straps that create stripe detailing. "The Three-Stripe Mark came to signify the quality and reputation of Adidas footwear to the sporting world early in the company's history," according to the lawsuit.
While an adidas Spokesman told OregonLive that the company does not comment on pending litigation, Radii CEO Casey Arisohn was reached for comment. In an e-mail, he stated that the shoe designs were initially approved by adidas officials, but that the approval was rescinded once the shoes were in production. "Shoes are made up of lines," he wrote. "It's really hard to design shoes without lines and sometimes lines, that were never meant to be anything close to Adidas' trademark lay in a way that just allows Adidas to sue."
Radii isn't the first brand to engage in a legal battle with adidas. In fact, adidas is well-known for aggressive action to protect their trademarks. In the United States alone, adidas has pursued at least 325 infringement cases, including 35 lawsuits and 45 settlement agreements. In 2008, a federal court jury in Portland awarded adidas a $304.6 million verdict against Collective Brands Inc., owner of Payless ShoeSource, for selling sneakers with sets of two and four parallel stripes. At the time, it was the largest ever award in a trademark infringement case.
So, looking at the models in question, do you believe adidas has a legitimate gripe here? The Straight Jacket seems like a bit of a reach, but the 420 Piped does feature very-adidas stripe detailing. Let us know what you think.
Radii Straight Jacket
Radii 420 Piped
adidas Forum Mid
