Skechers sues Fila over Go Walk shoes patent infringement

Sports shoe maker Skechers USA Inc said it filed a lawsuit against Fila U.S.A. Inc, claiming Fila Amazen Memory Moc shoes infringed patents related to its Go Walk line.

Thursday's suit comes nearly a month after Skechers filed a similar claim against Adidas AG's Reebok International Ltd, alleging Reebok's Walk Ahead RS shoes infringed its Go Walk shoe patents.

"Fila is selling its infringing footwear to Skechers wholesale customers and in other sales channels where Skechers Go Walk is sold ... this is causing us enormous damage," Chief Operating Officer David Weinberg said in a statement.

Skechers' Go Walk range starts at $40 for girls and around $60 for men and women, according to its website. The boat type slip on shoes have midsoles made of Resalyte, a compound that helps in absorbing impact.

Fila's Amazen Memory range, priced between $30 and $65, and Reebok's Walk Ahead also have identical shapes and soles made of similar material. All the three lines are available in a variety of colors.

Skechers said on Thursday it filed the suit against Fila in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

The company, whose shares were down 0.66 percent at $45.97 in morning trading, is being represented by lawfirm Kleinberg and Lerner in the suit. (Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in Bangalore; Editing by Joyjeet Das)