Tyga has found himself on the receiving end of another lawsuit. This time it’s from Vans, who say his new sneaker is an imitation of their classic signature silhouette.
Tyga dropped his “Wavy Baby” shoe on April 18 in collaboration with MSCHF after working on the design for months. The black and white shoe features a distinct warped sole with a white line design. Many claimed the shoe resembles Vans Old Skool silhouette.
Tyga Claims The Shoe Sold Out In Minutes
Tyga claims the shoes – which premiered in his “Freaky Deaky” music video – have proved popular, selling out within minutes of their debut.
However, according to Hypebeast, Vans are suing Tyga and MSCHF, claiming the “Wavy Baby” sneaker rips off elements of their shoe. The outlet states the lawsuit accuses Tyga/MSCHF of committing “trademark infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition and trademark dilution.”
“MSCHF, in collaboration with [Tyga], has shamelessly marketed the Wavy Baby shoe in a direct effort to confuse consumers, unlawfully siphon sales from Vans, and intentionally damage Vans’ valuable intellectual property rights,” the lawsuit allegedly states. “The Wavy Baby shoe blatantly and unmistakably incorporates Vans’ iconic trademarks and trade dress.”
MSCHF accused Vans of “stabbing us in the back,” and says the company was negotiating for half the profits just a day before the sneaker’s debut.
“To have the [Wavy Baby] drop go live [on April 18], they offered specific terms (as recently as 24 hours ago),” MSCHF told HighSnobiety. They revealed that Vans asked MSCHF and Tyga for “half the profits,” among other things. “They also indicated they were willing to meet about future collaborations LMAO,” MSCHF added.
This is not the first time MSCHF has faced legal controversy over its sneakers. They worked with Lil Nas X on the now-infamous “Satan Shoes” and were sued by Nike. They reportedly settled out of court.
