Last week, the Minneapolis-based company - whose earthy moccasins have been spotted on celebrities like Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan - sued Target for trademark infringement. In court filings, Minnetonka claimed Target copied its iconic "Thunderbird" design, a small, beaded bird on the shoe's toe. Minnetonka has been using the "Thunderbird" on its products for 40 years, the company said. Shown at left is Target’s version next to Minnetonka’s (photo from actual court documents).
But according to the lawsuit, just months before Target came out with its moccasin earlier this year, the discount chain approached Minnetonka with a business proposal: selling Minnetonka moccasins in Target stores. Target, which is also based in Minneapolis, "made multiple proposals ... offering 'prime real estate on the floor' of Target stores for the moccasins made by Minnetonka," the shoe company wrote in its initial complaint.
It's not clear exactly why Minnetonka rejected Target's proposal or what kind of collaboration (if any) Target wished to initiate. Minnetonka did not respond to requests for comment. In an email, a Target spokeswoman said that the company did not comment on pending litigation. And as of last Friday, the moccasins were no longer for sale on Target.com.
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