​Puma sues Forever 21 over Rihanna knock-off

By

Kate Dingwall

Published
Apr 5, 2017

Forever 21 has found itself facing yet another copyright lawsuit. Puma has filed a patent, copyright infringement, and trade dress suit against the fast-fashion giant over a knock-off of three Fenty shoes.

The suit was filed by Puma late last week in central California. The claims include a design patent, trade dress, and copyright infringement charges, specifically for copying three of the Rihanna-designed Fenty sneakers and slides. Puma has filed an additional design patent infringement claim for the Forever 21 version of Rihanna’s best-selling creeper shoe (a shoe that won the songstress the “Shoe of the Year” award.

Puma is alleging that Forever 21 was trying to capitalize on the “substantial goodwill of Puma, Rihanna, and the Fenty shoes,” as stated in the filing. 

The three copied shoes in question are the Fenty creeper, retailing for $99, the fur slide, retailing for $90, and the bow slide, retailing for $80. The Forever 21 versions of each shoe retail between $18 and $25.

Under the filings, Puma is asking that Forever 21 pull the styles from stores and give Puma all profits made from the shoes.

Of note, Puma recently filed a similar lawsuit against Topshop for peddling knock-offs of the Fenty shoes. Puma came out victorious, receiving an injunction against Topshop to prohibit the UK-based chain from selling Fenty-inspired shoes.

This is by no means Forever 21’s first time facing a copyright infringement: everyone from Betsey Johnson to even H&M have filed against Forever 21.