Who We Are
PHOTO: The US Sun
He was initially asking for an undisclosed amount in damages, interest, legal fees to be paid, and costs for filing the lawsuit, along with the shoes being removed from the website.
In the 66-page original complaint, Ye’s counsel claimed: “Walmart is flagrantly trading off of West’s and the Yeezy brand’s popularity by offering for sale an imitation version of the Yeezy Foam Runner.
“Consumers are purchasing the imitation Yeezy Foam Runner footwear from Walmart on the mistaken belief that the shoes are associated with West and the Yeezy brand.
“Yeezy is a multi-billion dollar brand, and the harm caused to Plaintiffs on account of Walmart’s illegal activities is, upon information and belief, potentially valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The complaint boasted about the success of the Yeezy business and listed the number of celebrities seen out wearing Kanye’s shows, including his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian.
It stated that Kanye is a “household name” in fashion and music and “sets trends for everything he touches,” adding that the business is synonymous with the star and is “one of the most influential and successful brands in fashion.”
The star’s own runners sell for around $75 and can resale for hundreds online.
Walmart’s alleged wannabes, available in a number of colors, were available on its website for just $25.
In a statement, Walmart said at the time: “The product referenced in the complaint is not sold by Walmart, but rather by third-party Marketplace sellers.
“We take allegations like this seriously and are reviewing the claim. We will respond in court as appropriate after we have been served with the complaint.”
Kanye’s lawyers sent a Notice of Claimed Infringement demanding that Walmart remove the imitation shoes from its website and claimed they refused to comply before the lawsuit was filed.
Since the news broke, the product appears to have been quickly taken down, although The Sun found a number of pairs that are still currently available on eBay.
The original suit included a number of comments from those who purchased the shoes and social media users who pointed out the obvious similarities.
“My son has been wanting the Yeezy slides but these look similar and are much more affordable,” one customer wrote on the Walmart site, according to the suit.
While some said the imitation shoes were a perfect purchase, others claimed the sizing was incorrect, while others posted “ripped after 20 minutes of wear,” and “Don’t buy this garbage.”
It’s not the first time Yeezy and Walmart have been involved in a legal dispute, the star in a previous trademark row over a “rays from the sun” logo he wanted to use similar to the store’s.
