Nike has sued the devil-themed sneaker manufacturer promoted by rapper Lil Nas X for trademark infringement.
Nike Inc says a Brooklyn company that made “Satan Shoes” in collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X has agreed to voluntarily remember the shoe as part of a legal deal with the athletics giant.
The agreement with MSCHF Product Studio Inc. solves a lawsuit on trademark infringement that Nike filed last week for diabolical, black and red sneakers with the Nike “swoosh” logo and quickly sold for $ 1,018 a pair.
Satan shoes are custom versions of the Nike Air Max 97 sneakers, with midsoles that claim to contain a drop of human blood and printed with “Luke 10:18,” a reference to a biblical verse that alludes to Satan’s fall from heaven.
Only 666 pairs were made, the latter being retained so that Lil Nas X, known for the song Old Town Road, could choose the recipient.
Nike has said that MSCHF will offer full refunds to buyers of Satan Shoes and Jesus Shoes, which were launched in 2019 and also based on Air Max 97, “to get them out of circulation.”
Limited edition shoes can bring premium prices among collectors, but those who get refunds could lose the price appreciation.
“Dramatically amplified”
David Bernstein, who leads the intellectual property litigation group at Debevoise & Plimpton and represents the MSCHF, said the artistic messages that the MSCHF hoped the shoes would convey would be “dramatically amplified” by the Nike process.
“MSCHF intended to comment on the absurdity of the culture of collaboration practiced by some brands and the danger of intolerance,” he said. “After achieving its artistic goal, MSCHF is glad that it has solved the process.”
Lil Nas X was not charged and could never choose who received the last pair after a Brooklyn judge temporarily halted subsequent sales on April 1.
Nike claimed that even the “sneaker heads” were confused about who produced Satan Shoes, while MSCHF said that the shoes were “individually numbered works of art” and did not cause confusion.
In March, Lil Nas X released a video with the theme of the devil for his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”.