Nike File Lawsuit Against MSCHF for Lil Nas X ‘Satan Shoes’
It looks like the Lil Nas X shock tactics have worked.
have filed a lawsuit against art collective MSCHF, the company behind the collaboration with Lil Nas X. Suing MSCHF for trademark infringement, Nike are obviously unhappy about the messaging behind the sneaker.
Limited to just 666 pairs, the Lil Nas X customised contains real human blood (from the employees at MSCHF), with a drop added to red ink in the midsole.
Nike are claiming that the use of the Swoosh and recognisable Air Max 97 silhouette had created confusion in their customer base, with calls to boycott the brand after images of the ‘Satan Shoe’ surfaced.
‘Nike files this lawsuit to maintain control of its brand, to protect its intellectual property, and to clear the confusion and dilution in the marketplace by setting the record straight – Nike has not and does not approve or authorize MSCHF’s customised Satan Shoes,’ the suit reads.
The Beaverton brand are seeking payment from MSCHF for the cost of the suit and lawyer fees, on top of damages to the brand following the alleged trademark infringement. Specifically, Nike are citing damage to its reputation that ‘money cannot compensate’.
Among these damages are ‘significant harm to its goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism’.
Lil Nas X responded to the lawsuit on Twitter.