A blog dedicated to fashion law claimed that Donald Trump could soon face another lawsuit after he revealed his new signature sneaker line at Sneaker Con at the Philadelphia Convention Center over the weekend.
The former president launched the custom, Trump-branded sneakers on Saturday. The new sneaker line includes the “Never Surrender-High Tops” priced at $399. Only 1,000 pairs of the shoes were made, according to the Trump Sneakers website, and they sold out over the weekend. However, the blog The Fashion Law said renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin could argue that the former president copped the red-soled design from his trademarked red soles for men and women, although proof of the anticipated lawsuit referenced in the blog is nonexistent.
“A pair of ‘limited edition’ sneakers that Donald Trump revealed at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia this weekend look like a lawsuit waiting to happen,” the blog said. “Looking beyond the gold body of the ‘Never Surrender High-Top’ sneakers, the stars and stripes design that wraps around the ankle, and the boldly-emblazoned letter T that adorns the side of the shoes, at the heart of an as-of-now hypothetical lawsuit that very well could be waged against the 2025 Presidential hopeful is the red-hued soles. As most will know, this particular design element is the well-established signature of another footwear brand, Christian Louboutin.”
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Louboutin has challenged other shoemakers over their designs, particularly their use of red soles. In 2011, Louboutin sued Yves Saint Laurent after the latter brand created a monochrome red shoe that included a red sole. A year later, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that although Louboutin’s trademark red sole was protected, the protection didn’t extend to when the shoe was red as well and Yves Saint Laurent was allowed to make and sell the red shoes.
However, Trump’s new high-top shoes aren’t red, although the red sole does extend around the rubber edge of the shoe. Newsweek could not find evidence of a pending lawsuit or cease-and-desist letter from Louboutin over Trump’s shoe brand. Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign and Christian Louboutin’s press office by email for comment on Monday afternoon.
Louboutin used an assistant’s red nail polish to design the shoe in 1993 and has fought for rights to the red sole in several trademark lawsuits around the world. The design has since expanded from women’s heels to red-soled shoes for both men and women, including men’s sneakers and high-tops.
However, if a lawsuit does arise from Trump’s newest business venture, it could prompt a change in the design.
“In response to the question of whether consumers will be getting “the exact sneaker or fragrance that [appears] on the site,” Team Trump stated, “The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the product.” Chances are, those red soles might never come to be, but a lawsuit may be in the works either way,” The Fashion Law blog wrote.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.