Nike Is Suing An Art Collective For Turning Its Air Max Sneakers Into Satan Shoes Filled With Human Blood
MSCHFs newest drop is a collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X.
A year and a half ago, the Brooklyn-based collective MSCHF channeled the big man himself with their project Jesus Shoes, a series of altered Nike Air Max sneakers with holy water from the River Jordan injected into the soles.
For a follow up edition of kicks released last week, on the eve of Passover, MSCHF dropped its new collaboration with rapper and singer Lil Nas X: Satan Shoes, another series of Nike Air Maxes, this time with drops of human blood in the soles and a bronze pentagram adorning the lacesand now Nikes suing them because of it.
Released in conjunction with the music video for Lil Nas Xs new song Montero a wildly lascivious journey through hell in which the musician gives a lap dance to the devilthe shoes were produced in an edition of, you guessed it, 666. They were priced at $1,018 per pair and sold out in less than a minute.
But he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon, as they say: MSCHF is now facing a trademark infringement lawsuit from Nike over the project.
As an innovative brand that strives to push the envelope and do the right thing, Nike knows it may not please everyone all of the time, reads the complaint, which was filed Monday in a New York district court. But decisions about what products to put the swoosh on belong to Nike, not to third parties like MSCHF.
MSCHF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Shoes Are Promoted As Each Including One Drop Of Actual Human Blood
MSCHF x Lil Nas X “Satan Shoes”
Nike Air Max ’97
SAINT
The shoes were announced as a collaboration between MSCHF and Lil Nas X to create a limited-edition version of the Nike Air Max 97. According to the products website, the shoes are individually numbered and only 666 pairs will be sold. These shoes arent created by Nike. Theyre revamped Air Max 97s by MSCHF made in collaboration with Lil Nas X, Page Six reported. The shoes cost more than $1,000 a pair.
A Nike spokesperson explained to Snopes that Nike had nothing to do with either the creation or sale of the shoes.
The product website notes that each shoe will contain 60CC ink and 1 drop human blood. An animation on the products site shows the sole of the shoe filled with a red liquid that sloshes forward and back with each step.
The shoe also features a pentagram in bronze with engraving that says, I SAW SATAN,MSCHF and LIL NAS X, and the words Luke 10:18 are featured on the outside of the shoe near the toe. This references the verse: I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, which is also part of a theme in Lil Nas Xs recent music video.
According to the products website, the shoe is going on sale on March 29 at 11 a.m. Eastern time and can only be purchased on MSCHFs app.
Satan.Shoes MSCHFs limited-edition Satan Shoes.
MSCHF
Directly underneath are the words Tap here to get the secret drops, which connects users to MSCHFs app that can be used to buy the shoes once they drop.
Drakes Son Adonis Shows Off French Skills In Sweet New Video
Even Drakes soles have got soul.
The Hotline Bling rapper, 33, took to his Instagram Stories early Friday morning to show off his splashy new sneakers: Nike Air Max 97 Jesus Shoes filled with holy water from the River Jordan and scented with frankincense.
Originally priced at $1,425 per pair , the kicks sold out in minutes and have fetched as much as $4,000 on the resale market.
Not bad for a product intended to troll collab culture, as MSCHFs Daniel Greenberg told The Post in October but when youre the 6 God, only the godliest kicks will do.
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Air Max 97 Jesus Shoes
The latest Nike Air Max 97 is a new timepiece with a distinctive design. The shoe features a black, white and red color combination that has made it iconic. But the Nike Air Max 97s ultimate appeal is its iconic name, Jesus.
The shoe is constructed with a combination of premium materials and features a low-top style with an Air Max unit on the heel. The design is also highlighted by reflective elements that trace out the Nike Swoosh logo on the upper region.
Nike Jesus Shoes Why Isnt That Trademark Infringement
Did Nike give its blessing to the Jesus shoes? Why is Nike not suing the maker for trademark infringement and false light? Does trademark infringement depend upon how the trademark owner feels about the alleged infringement?
So weve seen that Nike is up in arms about the infamous Satan Shoes but there was another aftermarket alteration that they didnt care about the Jesus Shoes.
The Jesus Shoes were Nike Air Max 97 shoes that had the soles filled with holy water. Why didnt Nike get made about that alteration? Because it didnt put Nike and its products in a bad light, and the company didnt feel like there was a risk of harm to Nikes corporate reputation for being associated with Jesus. So Nike did not sue for trademark infringement or for false designation of origin because Nike felt that the association with Jesus was a positive thing for their company.
Where there is a false association between the modifier and the trademark owner, the aggrieved trademark owner has an opening to argue that the advertising of the unsavory goods creates reputational harm for the trademark owner, and try to stop further sales based on the potential reputational harm to the trademark owners business. So just because you are the right under the first sale doctrine, you could still be liable for the harmful false association that you create if the false association harms the trademark owners business.
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How Are Shoes Made
According to ?How Shoes Are Made ?by The Sneaker Factory, the most crucial feature in shoe design is not the pattern used for the shape and look of the shoe but the fundamental material from which the shoe is made. The five materials most commonly used in shoe production are leather, textiles, synthetics, rubber and foam. 1. Leather
Nike Is Suing Over Trademark Infringement
Nike is suing MSCHF over trademark infringement, false designation of origin/unfair competition, trademark dilution, and common law trademark infringement.
Nike is suing MSCHF over the blood shoes:
Kevin Draper
Some sites are wrongly reporting this as copyright infringement, but it is a trademark infringement case.
THANK YOU because that had me confused too.
So it IS trademark infringement. Can you explain the difference in this case?
e y i
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Lil Nas X Satan Shoes With Human Blood And Nike’s Lawsuit: What To Know
Give the devil his due: The $1,000 sneakers sold out in less than a minute. But the legal complaint means MSCHF has suspended plans to give away one final pair.
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
CNET freelancer Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
What could possibly connect rapper Lil Nas X, Nike and sneakers made with human blood? Strap in for an explanation of one of the year’s most colorful news stories. You might have seen it referenced on SNL April 3.
How Jesus Shoes Were Fine But Satan Aint Acceptable Twitter Users Quiz Nike After The Win Against ‘satan Shoes’ With Human Blood
It did not end well for Brooklyn art collective, MSCHF, after American multinational corporation Nike won the lawsuit over the controversial ‘Satan Shoes’. The art collective claims that each comes with a drop of human blood donated by members of the MSCHF art collective.
The company said, MSCHF and its unauthorised Satan Shoes are likely to cause confusion and dilution and create an erroneous association between MSCHF’s products and Nike. However, MSCHFs lawyers argued that their client had no plans to produce more than 666 pairs of the shoe.
For the brand, the major concern is that people will start associating Nike with satanic-inspired shoes. This will damage the brand image. The company was seeking a refraining order stopping the promotion of the shoes.
In its filing with the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Nike stated that it did not approve or authorise the customised Satan Shoes.
Meanwhile, Twitter users took to the microblogging site to question the brand on the way they function. The same art collective sells Nike Shoes with brand Jesus but the company never filed a lawsuit but now it has on Satan Shoes over the fear of backlash.
Let us know! What type of content would you like to see from us this year?
HubSpot
What type of content would you like to see from us this year?
HubSpot
What type of content would you like to see from us this year?
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Are Jesus Shoes Worth It
Yes, Jesus Shoes are worth it because they are very durable and comfortable to wear. Since the brand is owned by Nike, an international shoe manufacturer with many years of experience in the industry, you can trust that the brand will be around for a long time and continue to produce high-quality products.
Why Nike Is Suing Mschf
Nike stated in its filing that there is already evidence of significant confusion and dilution occurring in the marketplace, including calls to boycott Nike in response to the launch of MSCHFs Satan Shoes based on the mistaken belief that Nike has authorized or approved this product. It included screenshots of comments from social-media users expressing their outrage or vowing to never wear Nike again.
It also noted, In the short time since the announcement of the Satan Shoes, Nike has suffered significant harm to its goodwill, including among consumers who believe that Nike is endorsing satanism.
MSCHF is known for what are basically viral products, like its recent BirkinstocksBirkenstock sandals made from Hermès Birkin bags. It originally conceived of the Jesus Shoes as a way to troll sneaker makers and their fans about the proliferating number of sneaker collaborations.
We thought of that Arizona Iced Tea and Adidas collab, where they were selling shoes that a beverage company that sells iced tea at bodegas, Daniel Greenberg, the groups head of strategy, told the New York Post in 2019. So we wanted to make a statement about how absurd collab culture has gotten. He wondered what a collaboration with Jesus would look like, and said that, being Jewish, the only thing he really knew about Jesus was that he walked on water.
This story has been updated to reflect that the court approved Nikes request for a temporary restraining order against MSCHF.
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Nike Settles With Mschf Over Satan Shoes Wants Pairs Bought Back
The customized Air Max 97s were made in collaboration with Lil Nas X.
Nike has settled its lawsuit against MSCHF over the controversial âSatan Shoeâ it released in collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X. As part of the settlement, MSCHF has agreed to recall the shoes from buyers, as well as the âJesus Shoesâ it previously made. Yahoo Finance first reported on the news.
âIn both cases, MSCHF altered these shoes without Nikeâs authorization. Nike had nothing to do with the Satan Shoes or the Jesus Shoes,â a spokesperson for Nike told Input. âToday, April 8th, Nike and MSCHF have agreed to settle the lawsuit. As part of the settlement, Nike has asked MSCHF, and MSCHF has agreed, to initiate a voluntary recall to buy back any Satan Shoes and Jesus Shoes for their original retail prices, in order to remove them from circulation.â
Coveted product â Like its name suggests, MSCHF has made itself known over the years by releasing outlandish limited edition products, like a $76,000 Birkenstock sandal made from real Hermès Birkin bags. With the âSatan Shoe,â the firm took things quite a step further, taking a pair of Nike Air Max 97s and adding a drop of real human blood to the limited edition shoe. Only 666 pairs were made at a price of $1,018, a play on the biblical quote Luke 10:18 that appears on the side of the shoe to honor Lucifer.
In its full statement, Nike said:
Company Sells Out Of $1425 ‘jesus Shoes’ That Feature Holy Water So You Can ‘walk On Water’
A Brooklyn-based company that collaborated with Nike sold out of its $1,425 “Jesus Shoes” filled with holy water in just one minute after they launched this week.
The white Air Max 97 sneakers, by creative label MSCHF, have teal accents and are injected with holy water from the Jordan River and have a steel crucifix attached.
The shoes also have red soles in honor of the shoe color worn by the pope and are scented with the resin frankincense, which was given to newborn baby Jesus in the New Testament, Yahoo Lifestyle reports.
The footwears hefty price tag is also symbolic $1,425 represents Matthew 14:25, a Bible passage that describes Jesus walking on water.
Daniel Greenberg, the companys head of commerce, told Yahoo Lifestyle that inspiration for the design came after employees discussed brand partnerships, including one between Adidas and Arizona.
I said, What would a collab look like with Jesus Christ?’ said Greenberg, 22. You could say Jesus is the most influential person of all time.
While the company decided on the holy water and crucifix concepts, other pitches included a holy nail and fake blood, as well as a modern take on the “Jesus sandal” trend, Yahoo Lifestyle reports. In the end, the idea to be able to walk on water was selected.
The shoes went on sale at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and sold out by 11:01 a.m.
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Why They Were Called Jesus Shoes
Aside from it being a timeless design, the Air Max 97 had a name that might have not been the most popular among consumers. The shoe was named after one of Nikes employees who died in a car accident in Portland, Oregon just before its release. The employee was Jesus Verduzco, so when the Air Max was introduced to the public, it carried his name and memory and it also bore an image of him on its heel tab.
Despite its biblical name, the shoe was still a best seller for Nike and was sold in many countries from 1995 to 2004. The shoe became more popular when Kanye West featured it in his music video Stronger in 2007. The Air Max 97 is now being re-released to commemorate its 20th anniversary.
The Jesus Shoes was designed to honor the memory of Jesus Verduzco, a famous Nike employee who died tragically in a car accident in 1995. And like Jesus, the shoe is also designed to be functional, durable, and fashionable.
Looking back on the Air Max 97s success, it is easy to see what other companies have tried to accomplish with their own similar designs whether its the Skechers Go Walk or the Adidas Supernova.
Nike Air Max 97 Jesus Shoes: Why Are They So Expensive
Nike is one of the most popular brands in the world. The Nike Air Max 97 is one of Nikes best models and it also has a lot of Jesus Shoes.
Nike Air Max 97 Jesus Shoes are made with top-quality raw materials and deliver supreme comfort. Anyone looking to buy new shoes would be well advised to check out these amazing shoes. The style, form, and function are all very good.
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Mschf Inject Nikes With Holy Water Call Them ‘jesus Shoes’ And Sell Them For $2k
Irony is dead.
Thou shalt cop a naughty pair of Jesus Shoes.
Youre looking at Nike sneakers injected with holy water from the Jordan River. Theres only 20 in the world and — admit it — youre weirdly intrigued.
The 60cc of liquid has been injected into the Air Max 97 bubble sole by MSCHF. It claims the insole is made with 100 percent frankincense wool, while the laces are home to a steel crucifix.
“We made the Jesus Shoe because we thought it would be cool to say we walk on water, said Gabriel Whaley, MSCHF founder. “It’s just a cool, premium product, but it can have a lot of different meanings for different people, which makes for a true MSCHF drop. We hand-crafted each piece, so there was a very limited batch of around 20.”
No — theyre not a joke. But they are a huge jibe at cultural hype. MSCHF listed them on resale sneaker marketplace StockX, where the latest pair allegedly went for $2,480.
In recent years, the company had been serving brands including MTV, Casper and Netflix as an advertising agency. But Whaley is ridding MSCHF of that tag, leaning more into product innovation and contemporary media.
He told Campaign US: “We’re MSCHF. We’re not an ad agency. Instead we’re more like a counter-culture media/product brand, playing in a gray area that isn’t yet defined by traditional approaches.
Nike’s partnership with Jesus Shoes is very, very non-existent.
Amen.
