By: Editorial Staff, Date: January 10th, 2022
Lululemon‘s Mirror fitness device and its corresponding apps have quickly become some of the most popular home fitness products on the market today, providing users with the ability to complete customized workouts and even work alongside virtual personal trainers from the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately for Lululemon, Nike is now alleging that the Mirror and its ecosphere of digital products infringe on numerous patents that Nike has held since 1983.
Nike claims to have filed a patent for a device that tracks workout metrics such as a runner’s speed, calories burned, and distance traveled back in 1983 in addition to numerous other patents that Nike alleges that Lululemon is infringing upon by selling the Mirror fitness device.
In a statement, however, Lululemon claims that the patents in question are overly broad and invalid. The statement concluded by saying that Lululemon is “confident in our position and look forward to defending it in court”. Lululemon is currently embroiled in another patent infringement lawsuit as well, this time as the plaintiff alleging that fitness brand Peloton has infringed on its patents with the design of their sports bras and leggings.
As for Nike’s lawsuit against Lululemon, it will now be up to a Manhattan federal court to decide whether or not the Mirror infringes on Nike’s patents. Lululemon is said to have been notified by Nike regarding the alleged infringements in November before the lawsuit was filed, but the claims were dismissed. Having just purchased Mirror for $500 million in 2020 amid the home workout surge brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say that Lululemon now has quite a lot riding on the results of this litigation.
Upcoming Webcasts
Chapter 11 Corporate Bankruptcy Reorganizations: Leases and Executory Contracts
A Chapter 11 bankruptcy involves numerous complex issues. One of the most complex elements of a chapter 11 bankruptcy can be the treatment of executory contracts and unexpired leases. The application of bankruptcy laws to the terms of a contract or lease can significantly alter the rights and obligations of all parties to the agreement. A thorough understanding of how bankruptcy laws intersect with contracts and leases is critical for companies considering a chapter 11 restructuring, parties to an agreement with a financially distressed counterparty, and purchasers of bankrupt businesses, among many others.