Jaden Smith'sNew Balance Vision Racer sneaker had a successful debut this year, but the branding behind the shoe's rollout has now gotten the brand into legal trouble.
New information spotted by The Fashion Law reveals that the Authentic Brands Group LLC (ABG) has filed a complaint this week with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The New York-based brand management company is claiming that the sportswear brand is misleading consumers to believe that Smith's Vision Racer shoe is connected with ABG's Vision Streetwear brand. ABG argues that its Vision trademarks—including its "Vision" and "Vision Streetwear" branding—have been continuously used on various products put out by Vision Streetwear since as far back as 1986.
On top of the allegations of trademark infringement, the ABG group argues that New Balance's manufacture and sale of the Vision Racer sneaker can also be considered as a higher standard of counterfeiting by "intentionally use[d] spurious marks that are counterfeits of, identical to, and substantially indistinguishable from" Vision Streetwear's trademarks, namely on its sneakers.
The ABG Collective is seeking monetary damages of up to $2 million from the profits of the Vision Racer sales, injunctive relief, among other damages. It's also looking to stop New Balance from making and advertising more Vision Racers, as well as any marketing or promotional materials associated with the name.
New Balance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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