Nike had sued the manufacturer of devil-themed sneakers 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 reclaim the footwear, as part of a legal deal with the athletics giant.
The agreement with MSCHF Product Studio Inc. resolves a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Nike last week for the devil-themed sneakers, in black and red, bearing the Nike “swoosh” logo and quickly sold out at $ 1,018 a pair.
Satan’s shoes are custom versions of the Nike Air Max 97 sneakers, with midsoles containing a drop of human blood, and printed with “Luke 10:18,” a reference to a biblical verse alluding to the fall of Satan. from the sky.
Only 666 pairs were made, with the last one retained so that Lil Nas X, known for the song Old Town Road, could choose the recipient.
Nike said MSCHF will offer full refunds to buyers of its Satan and Jesus Shoes shoes, which were launched in 2019 and were also based on the Air Max 97, “to remove them from circulation.”
However, limited edition shoes can fetch premium prices among collectors and those who get refunds could lose price appreciation.
“Dramatically amplified”
David Bernstein, who chairs the intellectual property litigation group at Debevoise & Plimpton and represents MSCHF, said the artistic messages MSCHF expected the shoes to convey were “dramatically amplified” by Nike’s lawsuit.
“MSCHF intended to comment on the absurdity of the collaborative culture practiced by some brands and on the perversity of intolerance,” he said. “Once it has achieved its artistic purpose, MSCHF is pleased to have resolved the lawsuit.”
Lil Nas X was not a defendant and never got to choose who received the last couple after a Brooklyn judge temporarily stopped more sales on April 1st.
Nike had claimed that even the “sneakerheads” were confused about who produced Satan Shoes, while MSCHF said the shoes were “individually numbered works of art” and that they didn’t sow confusion.
In March, Lil Nas X released a devil-themed video for his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”.