New Balance to Louis Vuitton - You Stole Our Shoe Design!

Posted Sep 11th 2009 at 4:34PM by Lesley Kennedy (Subscribe to Lesley Kennedy's posts)

Filed under: News

New Balance claims its 574 sneaker, above, has been copied by Louis Vuitton's Minstrel shoe. Photo: amazon.com (top) and louisvuitton.com (bottom)

New Balance is suing LVMH for trademark infringement, alleging that the luxury company copied one of its most popular shoe designs.

New Balance claims Louis Vuitton's Minstrel sneaker is a copy of its men's top-selling 574 retro-style running shoe, according to a story in The Boston Herald.

The 574, on store shelves since the mid-'90s, retails for around $75. Louis Vuitton's Minstrel, which premiered last month, is $590.

According to the Herald report, New Balance says collaborations between the company and artists and designers on 574 special editions are typically sell-outs. Those past collaborations could lead customers to think Louis Vuitton's Minstrel is affiliated with New Balance, the suit notes.

"Indeed, it is possible that had New Balance authorized Louis Vuitton to design a special Louis Vuitton edition of the iconic New Balance 574 shoe, the Minstrel might have been a highly successful collaboration," the suit says.

Celebs who wear the 547s? Will Ferrell, Ludacris and Elijah Wood. Even "Gossip Girl" Blake Lively has donned the style.

We see the "N" has been traded for the "LV" logo on the Minstrel, but do you see any other differences? Leave a comment below!

For more on Louis Vuitton sneakers, click here. And, to see more sporty styles from New Balance, start shopping below.

Tags: blake lively, BlakeLively, lawsuit, logo, louis vuitton, LouisVuitton, ludacris, new balance, NewBalance, shoes, sneakers, will ferrell, WillFerrell

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Joe Laslo 9-11-2009 @ 5:15PM

This is a juvinile attempt for sales on NB's part. Though this is an iconic style for them, I have seen countless replicas, intimidations or similar models created by over 10 shoe companies I can think of and there is no history of NB suing those companies at all. I think NB is just going after the big buck company thinking they will settle though they have never sued any of those other companies who have replicated their style. You can't be picky, NB.... the case should get thrown out.

John Ballard 9-12-2009 @ 12:50PM

oh c'mon dog!! ...yo, know a lotta kicks sorta look the same, but this is straight up rediculous! thems is IDENTICAL... hahaha... they deserve to be sued... funny too because LV is always suing peeps for knockin their ish. What goes around comes around!

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Sara 9-22-2009 @ 9:05AM

LV brand has really become a "loser" brand. First hiring Pharell for the riduculous "ghetto" jewerly line, to kanye west designing sneakers. Now this? C'mon, are you telling me that the high paid designers that worked on this sneaker line could not come up with a better idea?? I have about 12 shoe designs in my head and I am not a fashion designer. But then again, when Marc Jacobs claimed Lil Him--I mean Kim as his muse, that should've been a sure sign of disaster for the company.

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