Nike has sued the manufacturer of a devil’s sneaker 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 recall the shoes, as part of a legal settlement with the athletics giant.
The settlement with MSCHF Product Studio Inc settles a trademark infringement lawsuit that Nike filed last week over the devil-themed black-and-red sneakers, with the Nike logo “swoosh” and quickly sold out at $ 1,018 per pair .
Satan Shoes are custom-made versions of the Nike Air Max 97 sneakers, with a midsole that allegedly contains a drop of human blood, and printed with ‘Luke 10:18’, a reference to a biblical verse that refers after Satan’s fall from heaven.
Only 666 pairs were made, with the last time Lil Nas X, known for the song Old Town Road, was able to select the recipient.
Nike said MSCHF would offer full refunds to buyers of Satan Shoes and Jesus Shoes, launched in 2019 and also based on the Air Max 97, “to take it out of circulation”.
However, limited edition shoes can fetch premium prices among collectors, and those who repay may miss out on price increases.
“Dramatically amplified”
David Bernstein, chairman of the litigation group representing intellectual property at Debevoise & Plimpton and MSCHF, said the artistic messages that MSCHF had hoped the shoes would convey were “dramatically reinforced” by Nike’s lawsuit.
“MSCHF intended to comment on the absurdity of the collaborative culture applied by some brands, and on the perniciousness of intolerance,” he said. “After achieving his artistic goal, MSCHF is delighted that he has resolved the issue.”
Lil Nas X was not a defendant and he could never choose who received the last pair, after a judge in Brooklyn temporarily halted further sales on April 1st.
Nike claimed that even ‘sneakerheads’ were confused about who made Satan Shoes, while MSCHF said the shoes were ‘individually numbered works of art’ and did not cause confusion.
In March, Lil Nas X released a devil-themed video for his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”.