US District Judge Eric Komitte ruled on Thursday that MSCHF Product Studio, the company that collaborated with Lil Nas X to produce the so-called “Satan Shoes,” should temporarily curb production of its shoes, CNBC reported.
The federal ruling comes three days after Nike sued MSCHF Product Studio, stating that the black-and-red, devil-themed sneakers infringe its trademark rights.
“MSCHF strongly believes in the freedom of expression,” the company said in a statement following the ruling. “We look forward to working with Nike and the court to resolve this case in the most expeditious manner.”
— The Hill (@thehill) April 1, 2021
In addition, MSCHF’s lawyers have argued that the shoes are not typical sneakers, but rather “individually-numbered works of art,” CNBC reported.
Only 666 pairs of the shoes, printed with “Luke 10:18,” a biblical passage referring to Satan’s fall from heaven, were manufactured. All 666 shoes, which cost $1,018 a pair, were sold out in minutes.
In a statement to The Hill, Nike confirmed that the court has issued a temporary restraining order against MSCHF, but also noted that it doesn’t have “further details to share on pending legal matters.”
In a statement last week, Nike argued that the shoes have tarnished the company’s reputation, with thousands of people threatening to boycott the company.
“Nike filed a trademark infringement and dilution complaint against Mschf today related to the Satan Shoes,” Nike said in a company statement on Thursday, CBS News reported. “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”.
