Lil Nas X’s resounding promotional tool, Satan Shoes, quickly became topic of heated controversy over the course of this past weekend. Today, Nike filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against MSCHF–the New York-based designer Nas X worked with to make the altered Airmax shoe–for trademark infringement and unfair competition.
In the complaint, Nike states that the shoe “was done without Nike’s approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project.”
Nike “has not and does not approve or authorize” the shoes, as they “are likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF’s products and Nike.”
“In fact,” the statement continues, “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.”
“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…
“…decisions about what products to put the SWOOSH on belong to Nike, not to third parties like MSCHF. Nike requests that the Court immediately and permanently stop MSCHF from fulfilling all orders for its unauthorized Satan Shoes.”
Reportedly, all 666 pairs of the shoe, which were released this morning at 11am, sold out in under a minute. The pricing–set at $1,018 per pair–is in reference to Bible verse Luke 10:18, which states “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
Lil Nas X, who was not named in the suit, took this as an opportunity to pompously further the promo for his latest satanic-themed music video released this past Friday for his song “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” Since he’s not being sued, he took to social media to shamelessly frolic in the limelight– like clockwork, because this is just what today’s celebrities do.
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