Nike Inc. filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against a small company that released a customized pair of its sneakers with satanic themes in collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X.
The red-and-black Satan Shoes caused a social media uproar on Monday and quickly sold out. The company that released them, MSCHF Product Studio Inc., said it made 666 pairs and sold them for $1,018 apiece.
The sneakers have a red liquid in the sole that MSCHF claimed included a drop of blood. There is a reference to the Bible passage Luke 10:18 stitched on the side and a bronze pentagram on the laces.
“The Satan Shoes were produced without Nike’s approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project,” the company said in a statement. The company said it has no relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF.
MSCHF is a small Brooklyn-based company known for publicity stunts and viral product marketing. Its past projects include a pair of customized Nike sneakers it said were filled with holy water and called the Jesus Shoes and an app for stock picking based on astrological signs. MSCHF didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
