My1sttoday: Nike sues maker of Lil Nas X’s ‘Satan Shoes’. Nike on Monday sued the streetwear company MSCHF, which released rapper Lil Nas X’s controversial “Satan Shoes” out of modified Nike Air Max 97s.
In a trademark infringement lawsuit filed with the Eastern District of New York, Nike argued that MSCHF’s design creates a “likelihood of injury to Nike’s business reputation and goodwill,” according to Newsweek.
The suit added that the shoes created a “likelihood of consumer confusion, mistake, and deception as to the source of origin or relationship of Nike’s products and MSCHF’s Satan Shoes, and has otherwise competed unfairly by unlawfully trading on and using” Nike’s trademarks without permission, Newsweek reported.
Additionally, Nike argued that it must hold control over its brand “by setting the record straight” on what products can feature its iconic “SWOOSH” logo, NBC News reported.
“In fact, there is already evidence of significant confusion and dilution occurring in the marketplace, including calls to boycott Nike in response to the launch of MSCHF’s Satan Shoes based on the mistaken belief that Nike has authorized or approved this product,” the lawsuit stated, according to NBC News.
In a statement obtained by The Hill, Nike said it does “not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF,” adding that the shoes were “produced without Nike’s approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project.”
My1sttoday’s Christine Palmer has reached out to MSCHF for comment, but no response yet.
Lil Nas X’s new limited-edition demonic shoes, which feature a drop of human blood, were released on Monday, with all 666 pairs, each of which cost $1,018, reportedly selling out within seconds.
The rapper acknowledged Nike’s suit on Twitter, joking that it could leave him penniless:
me after the nike lawsuit pic.twitter.com/XVLjHlSrru
— nope 🏹 (@LilNasX) March 29, 2021
The release of the shoes sparked controversy, with evangelical pastor Mark Burns calling the sneakers “evil” and “heresy” and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) writing on Twitter that “our kids are being told that this kind of product is, not only okay, it’s ‘exclusive.’ But do you know what’s more exclusive? Their God-given eternal soul.”
The launch of the shoes coincides with the release of the music video of Lil Nas X’s song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which shows the rapper sliding on a stripper pole from heaven to hell.