Inside Birkenstock's New Paris Store

Welcome back to FN Daily, where we break down the biggest stories happening in footwear and retail.

Today, we have a sneak peek inside Birkenstock's new Paris store. Plus, Skechers sues L.L Bean and we look at the newest collab between Reebok and Juicy Couture.

Here's what you need to know.

Birkenstock Debuts First Paris Store to Kick Off European Expansion

Birkenstock is pushing ahead on its European expansion with the opening of its first company-owned store in Paris, France.

The sandal maker on Saturday will open the doors to the newest store location, nestled in the heart of Paris’ historic Marais district. The two-floor, 130-square-meter store (about 426 square feet) was constructed with gypsum walls built upon the city’s natural ancient quarries and features cork and leather throughout the space, highlighting the materials found in a pair of Birkenstocks. The store also gives customers the chance to tangibly experience the benefits of the brand’s iconic footbed.

“We firmly believe in the power of physical retail,” said Birkenstock’s president of Europe Nico Bouyakhf in an interview with FN. “Our aim is to be wherever our customers are with our products.”

Big picture: According to Bouyakhf, the Paris store is Birkenstock’s first big step in its larger European expansion plan. Moving forward, Birkenstock plans to open more stores over the next few years in other major cities, within Europe and beyond. In its most recent second quarter, Birkenstock opened six new stores, which brought its total store count at the time to 57. Just last week, Birkenstock opened its sixth company-owned retail store in the U.S. in Austin, Texas.

Skechers Sues L.L Bean Over Heel Cup Design Patents

Skechers is coming after another company for allegedly infringing on its design patents.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in the Southern District of New York, Skechers accused L.L. Bean of selling a shoe ( the Freeport Shoe) with two of Skechers’ protected heel cup designs. Skechers stated in the suit that its shoes with the “unique and eye-catching” heel cup designs have sold “millions of pairs.”

“Only after Skechers incurred the substantial risk and monumental expense of developing and promoting its shoes with these Heel Cup designs, and established that they had broad appeal, did L. L. Bean enter the market with its infringing shoe,” the suit read.

Zoom out: Skechers is no stranger to using legal power to protect its designs. The company previously accused several shoe companies, including Laforst Shoes Inc. and Dockers by Gerli, of copying its popular slip-in shoe designs.

How Reebok Is Channeling Y2K Nostalgia in Its Newest Footwear and Apparel Collaboration With Juicy Couture

Reebok and Juicy Couture have announced a Y2K-inspired collaboration including footwear and apparel. The limited-edition collection, which will be released on July 24, features five footwear silhouettes.

The partnership includes special versions of Reebok’s Classic Leather SP Extra, BB 4000 Mid II and Classic Slide. The shoes are offered in black and pink colorways, paying homage to the signature colors Juicy Couture is associated with.

“We continue to see consumer excitement around products with a nod to nostalgia and an emphasis on trends from the 90s and early 2000s,” said Stefani Fleurant, executive vice president of sports and lifestyle marketing at Authentic — the parent company of Reebok and Juicy Couture. “By blending Reebok’s athletic heritage with Juicy Couture’s bold style, we’re creating something totally new for consumers. It goes to show the lasting impact of both these iconic brands.”

In addition to shoes, the collection includes tracksuits and other apparel inspired by archival silhouettes.

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