Kizik news and archive

Kizik brings legal dispute with Skechers to Europe

HandsFree Labs (HFL), the parent company of Kizik, has extended its legal dispute with Skechers USA to Europe, where it has now filed a trademark infringement complaint with the Unified Patent Court in Munich, Germany. In the complaint, issued by Fast IP, LLC – the intellectual property (IP) holding company of HFL – and seen by WWD, a disputed...

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Skechers responds to Kizik’s ‘baseless’ lawsuit

Footwear giant Skechers USA has said it plans to “vigorously defend the patent suit” launched against it by HandsFree Lab (HFL), the parent company of Kizik. In a press release, Skechers said HFL’s allegations, pertaining to its line of Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins, were “baseless” and rooted in the “assertion that Kizik created the hands-free...

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Kizik parent company accuses Skechers of patent infringement in new lawsuit

Skechers has found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit over its sale of hands-free footwear by the company that claims to have created the category. HandsFree Labs (HFL), the intellectual property owner behind Kizik, has accused Skechers USA of patent infringement for mechanical constructions that allow for hands-free shoe entry. The...

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Kizik appoints new chief executive officer

Gareth Hosford was appointed chief executive officer of US footwear brand Kizik and its parent company, HandsFree Labs. Hosford has over 20 years of experience in the footwear and sportswear industries, with previous senior roles at Nike, Converse and sportswear start-up Omorpho. Under Hosford’s leadership, Kizik aims to grow further, both...

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Kizik expands distribution in South Korea, France, Gulf and Spain

Kizik has signed new distribution partnerships in South Korea, France, the Gulf Countries, and Spain. "Kizik's expansion into South Korea, France, the Gulf Countries, and Spain marks another exciting step forward in our mission to bring joy to everyday routines. Together, we are transforming the way people experience footwear," said Monte Deere,...

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Kizik Appoints Nike veteran as senior vice president of design

Hands-free footwear brand Kizik has appointed Andreas Harlow as senior vice president of design. Harlow has more than 20 years of experience in the footwear industry. The designer joins Kizik after a successful career as VP/global footwear creative director at Nike. Harlow has experience in both high-performance and lifestyle footwear, which...

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Kizik to expand global footprint through new distribution partnerships

Footwear brand Kizik has announced a series of new international distribution partnerships aimed at expanding its global reach. Building on its recent collaboration with UK distributor Unify Brand Partnerships in April, Kizik has unveiled additional partnerships with three distributors, Wellforce Sports in Taiwan, Artcrafts in Italy, and Nyne...

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Footwear label Kizik appoints Elizabeth Drori as chief marketing officer

Footwear brand Kizik has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Drori as chief marketing officer. Drori will serve on the Kizik executive leadership team, reporting to CEO Monte Deere. The company said in a release that Drori joins Kizik from Sperry, where she served as global chief marketing officer and general manager of the Sperry e-commerce...

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Hands-free shoe retailer Kizik opens first brick and mortar store

Kizik, a manufacturer of hands-free footwear, has revealed that it will be opening its first-ever brick and mortar store near Salt Lake City on May 19. The 1,293 square foot store, located in the company’s home state, will house a full range of men’s, women’s and kids’ shoes in all sizes, as well as branded shirts and shoe care kits. It will...

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Kizik to debut first hands-free footwear store

Kizik has announced it will be launching its first retail store alongside seven new shoe styles, which will further showcase its hands-free footwear technology and freshly unveiled boot design. Its plans were on display at CES 2023, where the brand hosted a booth and was also announced as the recipient of two CES Innovation Awards for two of its...

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Hands-free footwear brand Kizik names new board member

Hands-free footwear brand Kizik has named Wendy Yang as a new board member. Yang has over 20 years of experience in the footwear industry, seven of which she spent as president of Hoka, during which time the company’s revenue grew from 70 million dollars to 1 billion dollars. Earlier in her career, she spent six years at New Balance and four...

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Hands-free footwear brand Kizik secures 20 million dollar funding

Kizik, a hands-free shoe brand, has closed a 20 million dollar Series B funding round which it will use to launch a kidswear line and develop its retail footprint. Led by consumer-focused private equity fund The Newcastle Network, the funding will help to boost the Utah-based brand’s reach, bringing its slip-on shoes to more consumers as well as...