You've seen what happens when a fashion person touches normcore shoes. Suddenly, high-tops reach your kneecaps, Tevas have more flair than a Christmas tree, and no pair of Birkenstocks is safe from a BeDazzler. But, according to a new lawsuit, Karl Lagerfeld opted for a classic sneaker style in his active-footwear offerings. And, that may be part of the reason he's finding himself in legal trouble.
On Wednesday, TMZ broke the news that New Balance is suing the iconic Chanel creative director over a trainer in his namesake line that resembles the sportswear brand's 574s and other initial-marked styles. As the report goes, it's the K, as in Karl, that's landing Lagerfeld in hot water. It doesn't take more than a simple side-by-side comparison to see that the designs' Ns and Ks could pass for letters within the same, block-like font family — a similarity SheFinds pointed out in April. However, whether or not Karl's $360 leather-and-mesh sneaker is replicated entirely from the lower-priced NB aesthetic is up for serious debate.
In an official statement, as Fashionista reports, New Balance says it has "filed a lawsuit against Karl Lagerfeld to protect our intellectual property rights related to our iconic Lifestyle footwear designs." As very little information has been released at this time, we'll keep a close eye on whether this high-fashion design can exist alongside a classic in the athletic-wear world — or if you'll be seeing the Kaiser in court. (TMZ)