American footwear giant Sketchers has successfully concluded a lawsuit filed against the footwear line L.L. Bean in regards to a patent infringement.
The US court orders declared on December 26, 2024 has driven the case into a settlement where L.L. Bean has agreed to discontinue the manufacturing, import and sale of its footwear collection that allegedly resembles the patented heel cup design of sketchers.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2024, accused L.L. Bean of copying Skechers’ distinctive heel cap designs, which are protected by patents valid until 2038. Skechers argued that L.L. Bean’s “Freeport” shoe line, directly infringed upon these patented designs.
While the full terms of the settlement, including potential damages, remain undisclosed, Skechers has achieved its primary objective of halting the sale of the allegedly infringing footwear.
