Mark Dolce, Mark Miner and Denis Dekovic all announced their departure from the Beaverton shoe giant in September and apparently have been waiting until their non-compete agreement runs its course to start work at adidas.
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Nike says the trio violated its non-compete agreements by collaborating with adidas early. From Reuters:
Nike is seeking a minimum of $10 million in damages.
The plans for the studio were essentially for a knockoff of Nike’s own design lab, called the Kitchen, according to the complaint.
Adidas bought the studio idea and offered the designers lucrative employment contracts, Nike said. The project, called the Brooklyn Creative Design Studio, is set to open early next year.
The three designers responded with a statement on Tuesday, via Nice Kicks.
Dolce, Miner and Dekovic are collectively responsible for several important shoes including the Barkleyposite, Air Penny, Free, Magista and Mercurial, among others.
We find Nike’s allegations hurtful because they are either false or are misleading half-truths. We did not take trade secrets or intellectual property when we departed Nike in September. The athletic footwear industry is fast moving and rapidly changing and, as creative people, we thrive on innovation and freshness. We are looking forward to bringing new and innovative ideas and designs to adidas when our non-competition agreement expires.”
