What makes a copyrightable stripe? Looks like Vans and Primark are going to find out as the footwear giant sues Primark over what it considers “identical knockoffs” according to story on Cosmopolitan.com.
A lawsuit alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising was filed in New York last month. . . The two designs in dispute are the Vans Old Skool sneaker, featuring the iconic side stripe, and the Vans Sk8-Hi sneaker, a lace-up high top also with the classic stripe. The court documents state that Primark’s use of a side stripe on its trainers is confusing to the consumer. . . “The Side Stripe Trademark’s prominent placement and often-contrasted colour make Vans’ shoes immediately recognisable to consumers even at far-off distances,” say the documents.
When you compare this to all the skate brands that have boosted Vans designs over the years, it looks pretty mudane, but they have to protect their IP.
We’d like to think that Burton itself is the product of Jake Carpenter’s “creativity,” but it seems that corporations outgrown their founders by design. It’s nice to see Jake getting back to doing the stuff he likes to do with the Mine 77 collection . . . even if it is made up of $700 jackets, $400 backpacks, and $60 tee shirts.
Surf photog Jack English has launched a new “style brand” with his 10-year-old daughter Eden. It’s called Sea of Seven. It goes a little like this:
Driven by unstoppable rhythms, Sea Of Seven is a divergent clash of art, sound and style. Inspired by authentic ocean living and creative surf lifestyles, Sea Of Seven designs custom posters, prints, apparel, décor and accessories featuring Jack English’s original surf photography.
For the official word from Sea of Seven, please follow the jump.
We’re not that interested in doing 1992 over again, but if you missed the first go-round then boy does Burton have something for you in their 92 Retro Collection. The capsule features Jason Ford-a-licious block color jackets, classic asym air 45 logo graphics on a Family Tree Speed Date, Trick Pilot, and Stun Gun boards and much, much more.
Honor the past while experiencing the latest performance with this modern, more technical take on an iconic era.
Iconic, indeed, but reminds us of something the band Jamie Wednesday once said, “Pop will eat itself.”
Marquee Brands, LLC, owners of zombie brands like Body Glove, Ben Sherman, and Bruno Magli, announced yesterday (December 5, 2018) that they have acquired the Dakine brand along with all related intellectual property. They’ve also partnered with JR286 to operate the brand.
Marquee Brands and JR286, who will develop Dakine’s core categories, will maintain dedicated teams for the brand in Hood River, Los Angeles, California, and Annecy, France. Ken Meidell, Dakine’s current CEO, will be joining the Marquee Brands team.
Last we checked Dakine was owned by Altamont Capital, which also holds majority positions in Brixton, Fox Head, and Mervin Manufacturing. They paid $70 million for Dakine when they bought it from Billabong in 2013, wonder what this sale means for the rest of the portfolio. Maybe nothing, maybe something. For the official word from Marquee, please follow the jump.
686 is proud to announce the addition of iconic snowboarder Gigi Rüf to the team.
Gigi brings his own unique approach to snowboarding and will complement the entire global 686 team including snowboarders Forest Bailey, Sammy Luebke, Phil Jacques, Victor Daviet, Matt Belzile and Mary Rand. . . and more.
Zombie brand extraordinaire, Airwalk, is hoping to ride the 90s wave of nostalgia right back to the top of the footwear game with the launch their latest “global ad campaign,” according to current owner Authentic Brands Group(Jamie Salter is the CEO, remember him?) The new campaign is titled Teen Spirit. Can you smell it? Here’s how they pitch it.
Returning to the brand’s roots, the 2018 campaign embraces the spirit of the Southern California teen that established Airwalk’s place in 90s culture. It gives consumers a candid look into the individuality, self-expression, and free-spirit that has shaped Airwalk’s identity for more than 30 years. . . .The campaign features The One, the Bloc, the Random, the Jim Lo, the Vic, and the Prototype. This assortment highlights Airwalk’s best sellers and a peek into what’s to come for the brand.
This just makes us miss footwear marketing/design genius Sinisa Egelja all the more. Hard to believe it has been nine years since his death on October 26, 2009. For the official word from Authentic Brand Group (which also owns Vision Street Wear), please follow the jump.
We’ve never really been able to figure out why VF owned Reef. They never seem to mention it during their financial calls, nor report on the brand’s progress or any plans they have for the company. It always seemed like Reef was Vans’ forgotten step-sister at VF. Guess VF felt the same way as they are reportedly selling Reef to The Rockport group, according to a story on Bizjournals.com.
Greensboro-based VF Corp. is further slimming its portfolio by entering into an agreement to sell beachwear brand Reef to The Rockport Group. . . The company disclosed the deal today, the terms of which were not disclosed. . . The acquisition is expected to close October 2018. . . The Rockport Group is based in Newton, Massachusetts, and is a maker of casual and dress shoes. The group was acquired by private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners LLC Aug. 3.
Okay. Reef and all their assets will now be part of a company that makes shoes the elderly wear while stumbling around in the forrest. Not sure it’s a good fit for reef, but it will likely be great for Rockport. The Newton, Massachusetts based company plans to keep Reef in Carlsbad, California, but really, how long will that last?
Surf photog Jack English has launched a new “style brand” with his 10-year-old daughter Eden. It’s called 
We’re not that interested in doing 1992 over again, but if you missed the first go-round then boy does Burton have something for you in their 
Marquee Brands, LLC, owners of zombie brands like 
Zombie brand extraordinaire, 
Once again, a list of links to some of the stories we wish we had time to read and re-type. Follow the jump for all the details.
We’ve never really been able to figure out why VF owned Reef. They never seem to mention it during their financial calls, nor report on the brand’s progress or any plans they have for the company. It always seemed like Reef was Vans’ forgotten step-sister at VF. Guess VF felt the same way as they are reportedly selling Reef to The Rockport group, according to a story on 
