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.”
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”.