Judge Grants Nike Request to Stop Sales of Satan Shoes
MSCHF says it won’t give away last pair of customized sneakers, which it calls art
MSCHF released the sneakers, which include satanic symbols, in collaboration with Lil Nas X to promote the rapper’s latest song.
A federal judge granted Nike Inc.’s NKE -0.27% request to halt shipments of the Satan Shoes, and the company that released the customized sneakers said it wouldn’t proceed with plans to give away the final pair.
U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee on Thursday granted Nike’s request for a temporary restraining order against MSCHF Product Studio Inc., according to the court docket in the Eastern District for New York. Lawyers for the two sides were in court earlier in the day.
MSCHF last week released black-and-red sneakers with satanic symbols in collaboration with Lil Nas X to promote the rapper’s latest song and music video. Nike filed a trademark lawsuit on Monday and said it hadn’t authorized the product.
As part of the campaign, Lil Nas X had tweeted that he would pick someone on Twitter to get the 666th pair of Satan Shoes. The $1,018 shoes quickly sold out and set off a social-media uproar.
In a statement Thursday, MSCHF described itself as an art collective and the Satan Shoes as artwork. The company said Nike didn’t file a lawsuit against the company in 2019 when it modified another pair of Nike sneakers and called them the Jesus Shoes.
“As a manifested speculative artwork Jesus Shoes conflates celebrity collab culture and brand worship with religious worship into a limited edition line of art objects,” MSCHF said in a written statement. “Last week’s release of the Satan Shoes, in collaboration with Lil Nas X, was no different.”
MSCHF is known for creating publicity stunts and viral products. The company is not a marketing company and does not have clients, according to a representative from its law firm.
The Brooklyn company said it looked forward to working with Nike to resolve the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified financial damages.
“MSCHF strongly believes in the freedom of expression, and nothing is more important than our ability, and the ability of other artists like us, to continue with our work over the coming years,” the company said.