Nike to Skechers: We Want Our Shoe Designs Back
Nike (NYSE: NKE) has a beef with some of Skechers' (NYSE: SKX) shoe designs.
According to a court filing reported on by Bloomberg Law, Nike alleges that Skechers CEO Robert Greenberg encourages employees to copy competitors' designs to gain market share. Skechers contends, though, that it only draws inspiration from the competition, a practice it calls "Skecherizing." Nike may have a point here, but it may be less of a problem for Skechers than investors might think.
Nike is specifically calling out Skechers for copying its Air Max shoe (which, by the way, has been available for sale since 1987) and the more recently introduced VaporMax. In case you're not up to date on the latest in sneaker fashion, Air Max are Nike shoes with the air pockets in the heels. VaporMax is also an air cushioning system, but it's distributed across the whole length of the shoe, giving the sole a bubble-like appearance.
Source Fool.com
