First came the ballers, the greasers, teenagers and finally the kids. The shoe manufacturer Converse owned by Nike since 2003 has sold its brand to generations of Americans.
Now Converse says some of the core elements such as black stripes and a rubber toe topper are being copied by Target, Walmart, Kmart, Skechers and others. Converse is accusing 31 companies of trademark infringement in 22 separate lawsuits for monetary damages. The suits were filed Tuesday at the U.S District Court in Brooklyn. The company is pursuing a separate complaint with the International Trade Commission, which has the power to stop any shoes considered to be counterfeit from entering the country.
“The goal really is to stop this action,” said Jim Calhoun, the Converse chief executive. “I think we’re quite fortunate here to be in the possession of what we would consider to be an American icon.”
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