A U.S. District Court on Wednesday approved Nike’s restraining order request against a company that collaborated with rapper Lil Nas X to create so-called “Satan Shoes” by redesigning Nike Air Max 97s. The order effectively blocks the further sale of the hellish sneakers, for now.
“The order, issued by the Eastern District of New York, states that the Brooklyn-based agency cannot fulfill any orders,” CBS News reported. The restraining order was approved after 665 pairs of the kicks, priced at a hefty $1,018, sold out Monday in just one minute.
“Nike filed a trademark infringement and dilution complaint against MSCHF today related to the Satan Shoes,” Nike said in a statement released Thursday. “We don’t have any further details to share on pending legal matters. However, we can tell you we do not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF. The Satan Shoes were produced without Nike’s approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project.”
The satanic sneakers include one drop of human blood mixed within, and there are only 666 pairs available for purchase, staying inline with the hellish theme. It is planned that the remaining unsold pair is to go to a fan via a giveaway.
In a lawsuit filed by Nike, the apparel brand argues that the shoes are “likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF’s products and Nike,” claiming that there’s “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.”
“As a direct and proximate result of MSCHF’s wrongful acts, Nike has suffered, continues to suffer, and/or is likely to suffer damage to its trademarks, business reputation, and goodwill that money cannot compensate,” the suit continues. “Unless enjoined, MSCHF will continue to use Nike’s Asserted Marks and/or confusingly similar marks and will cause irreparable damage to Nike for which Nike has no adequate remedy at law.”
Indeed, the confusion sparked a fact-check this weekend from liberal site Snopes, which included a statement from Nike quickly distancing themselves from the sneakers.
“Nike did not release nor design these shoes,” a spokesperson for the company told Snopes via email.
Nas, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, acknowledged in January that his core audience is children, according to an interview with NPR. “Before releasing his Satan Shoes, Hill appeared with Elmo on ‘Sesame Street’ and wrote a children’s book called ‘C Is For Country,’” The Daily Wire highlighted Sunday.
The “Old Town Road” singer is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
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