vans target lawsuit
[Photo via Unsplash]

Vans sues Target for selling similar sneaker design

Things have begun to heat up between Vans and Target as the lifestyle brand filed a lawsuit against the retail giant over a sneaker design.

According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Vans is alleging Target’s Camella Lace-Up shoe mimics the design of their classic Old Skool Shoe.

Read more: Post Malone gives Fall Out Boy a shout-out in new song “Wow.”

The Old Skool style debuted in 1977 while Target just put their shoe on shelves in August, according to TMZ.

According to Vans website, in 1977, “Vans #36, the Old Skool, debuts with the now famous Vans Sidestripe. The Old Skool is Vans’ first skate shoe that incorporated leather panels for increased durability. What started as a random doodle by [co-founder] Paul Van Doren was originally referred to as the ‘jazz stripe’ and has become the unmistakable hallmark of the Vans brand.”

The brand alleges the shoe copies that signature white jazz stripe. They also state Target chose to intentionally copy the look because it knew it would create confusion and in turn sell the copycat.

You can see the two shoes side-by-side below, with the Old Skool style on the left and the Camella Lace-Up on the right.

vans old skool target camella lace up (1)
[Photos via Vans.com, Target.com
They also note Target customers left reviews that refer to their shoe as “fake Vans.” When looking at Target’s product page, which is still available here at the time of publication, at least two customers have made that claim.

The first review, which gave the product five stars, reads, “I love my fake Vans! I read some reviews that said to go a 1/2 a size down but for me that wasn’t a good fit. Getting my size was well, perfect!”

target review 002
[Photo via Target.com
The second review is titled “My feet and my wallet are happy!” and also gave the product five stars. It reads, “Cool fake vans at a fraction of the price without compromising quality! For cheap shoes, I was surprised that I didn’t even have to break them in for them to be comfortable.”

target review 001
[Photo via Target.com
Vans’ Old Skool typically sells for $60 while Target’s Camella Lace-Up currently sells for $15.

TMZ states Vans wants Target to stop selling the Camella Lace-Up design. They also allegedly want all profits Target has made from the sale of the designs.

Target representatives tell TMZ they’re aware of the lawsuit, and “have a deep appreciation and respect for design rights.” TMZ also states the representatives reveal their vendor is looking into Vans claims.

This isn’t the first time the brand has looked into designs that appear to mimic their products. In 2008, they sued Sketchers for infringing on their iconic checkerboard design.

Then in 2016, they responded to a Twitter user who pointed out Ian Connor’s design, which also appeared to copy their jazz stripe.

See more: 20 totally goth lipsticks that aren’t black

[envira-gallery id=”194688″]

Categories: