- The Washington Times - Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Converse Inc. has said enough is enough — no more knock-offs of its signature Chuck Taylor sneakers. The Nike subsidiary has launched a lawsuit against 31 companies, alleging breach of trademark.

Among the defendants: Wal-Mart, Ralph Lauren Corp. and Tory Burch, as well as several firms based in China, Canada, Australia, Italy and Japan, Agence France-Presse reported. One of its suits even demands to have a trial by jury in federal court in Brooklyn against Kmart Corp., AFP said.

Converse is also requesting the International Trade Commission ban imports, sales and distribution of any sneaker that mimics the popular shoe style.

“We welcome fair competition, but we do not believe companies have a right to copy the Chuck’s trademarked look,” Jim Calhoun, the president and CEO of Converse Inc., said in the AFP report.

The Chuck Taylor style first entered the public sphere in 1917, via U.S. basketball courts. Since then, the company’s sold about a billion pairs around the world — all of which carry the Asserted Trademark logo, AFP reported.

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

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