New Balance sues Steve Madden over “deliberate knock-offs”

New Balance is suing Steve Madden for deliberately copying its patent-protected 327 model sneaker in an attempt to piggyback on the commercial and critical success of the 327 design.

The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts received the complaint.
New Balance claims that Steve Madden created the Chasen model particularly to profit from New Balance's success with the 327.

New Balance claims it has sold several million pairs of the 327 since the sneaker first hit the market back in 2020.

In 2021, Steve Madden introduced the Chasen model, which New Balance claims not only slavishly copied the design of their 327 model shoe, including the distinctive outer sole design, but also used two diagonal downward stripes that copied the placement and appearance of New Balance's famous 'N' mark on both sides.

New Balance argues that Steve Madden also made a Chasen sneaker with "SM NY90" instead of the two stripes on the side, but that it still infringes on New Balance's design patents for the 327 footwear's sole.