Louis Vuitton announced today that it has reached a settlement with New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. and will stop selling the LV “Minstrel” shoe which New Balance stated was an infringement on it’s best-selling 574 design. “Respecting and protecting the integrity of intellectual property is essential, and is a top priority for Louis Vuitton,” said Michael Pantalony, Louis Vuitton’s North American Director of Civil Enforcement. Added in a New Balance company statement on the matter, Ed Haddad, Vice President of Intellectual Property at New Balance said: “We appreciate Louis Vuitton’s cooperation in promptly resolving this matter. Both companies are united in the fight to protect intellectual property.” To learn more about the New Balance 574 shoe, read our just-posted interview with Luis Navarro, Product Manager for Men’s Lifestyle at New Balance.