Steve Madden Sues Adidas Over Stripe Trademark Dispute in New York Court

Steve Madden has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Adidas, challenging the sportswear giant's aggressive trademark enforcement of its iconic three-stripe design. The dispute centers on two Steve Madden sneaker models, Viento, featuring two non-parallel bands, and Janos, with bands resembling a 'K' shape, which Adidas claims cause consumer confusion and has sought to block sales of. Steve Madden accuses Adidas of attempting to monopolize stripe patterns in footwear, arguing that Adidas does not own all stripes or band designs and that such features are common and widely used in sneaker design. This lawsuit revives a long-standing rivalry dating back to Adidas' lawsuits against Steve Madden in 2002 over similar stripe designs, which ended in a confidential settlement, but the current dispute is unrelated to that agreement. Adidas is known for its aggressive protection of its three-stripe trademark, having taken legal action against various brands, but has not yet commented on this latest case. Steve Madden seeks a declaratory judgment to confirm that its designs do not infringe Adidas' trademarks, allowing it to continue selling the disputed sneakers.