A New York judge granted Nike’s request for a temporary restraining order against art collective MSCHF on Thursday, several days after the athletic apparel company filed a suit claiming MSCHF did not have proper authorization to sell limited-edition Air Max 97s dubbed “Satan Shoes.”


What You Need To Know

  • Nike sued art collective MSCHF for trademark infringement after the company released a set of Satan-themed shoes that were revamped versions of Nike's Air Max 97s

  • The shoes were released on Monday in collaboration with Lil Nas X, who recently dropped the music video for his new song "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)"

  • On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Eric Komitee ruled that Nike showed sufficient proof of potential damages to warrant a temporary restraining order 

  • The changes made to Nike’s sneaker include red ink accents, a bronze pentagram on the laces, a new sock line, and a reference to the bible verse Luke 10:18, which describes Satan’s fall from heaven

The collective had created 666 pairs of the satan-themed shoe in collaboration with musician Lil Nas X after the singer dropped the music video for his song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” 

In the complaint, Nike alleged the brand was impacted by the sale of the “Satan Shoes,” citing calls on social media for consumers to boycott Nike over their production. The company asked the court to “immediately and permanently” ban MSCHF from fulfilling any “Satan Shoes” orders.

According to documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, U.S. District Court Judge Eric Komitee on Thursday ruled that Nike showed sufficient proof of potential damages to warrant a temporary restraining order, effectively barring MSCHF from disseminating the shoes further.

While a hearing on a more permanent solution will likely follow, lawyers for the collective stated that all but one pair of the shoes had already been shipped out, and they do not have plans to create any further “Satan Shoe” drops. It remains unclear what will happen to the existing shoes that were purchased before the restraining order was granted. 

Nike had sued MSCHF — Lil Nas X is not named as a defendant in the complaint — on four counts, including trademark infringement, trademark dilution, and false designation of origin.

“MSCHF is currently taking orders for shoes it refers to as Satan Shoes, which are customized Nike Air Max 97 shoes that MSCHF has materially altered to prominently feature a satanic theme,” the lawsuit, filed earlier this week, read in part. “This was done without Nike’s approval or authorization, and Nike is in no way connected with this project.”

The changes made to Nike’s sneaker include red ink accents, a bronze pentagram on the laces, a new sock line, and a reference to the bible verse Luke 10:18, which describes Satan’s fall from heaven. MSCHF has also claimed the sneakers contained a drop of human blood.

It also appears the actor portraying “Satan” in the music video was wearing the redecorated Nike shoes, which can first be seen around the 2:27 mark. 

“Nike files this lawsuit to maintain control of its brand, to protect its intellectual property, and to clear the confusion and dilution in the marketplace by setting the record straight —  Nike has not and does not approve or authorize MSCHF’s customized Satan Shoes,” the complaint maintained 

Nike had previously denied any involvement in the development or marketing of the themed sneakers after thousands of social media users shared viral posts claiming Nike was responsible for the Satan-themed shoes. Fox News host Pete Hegseth even spread the false claim on Sunday’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” broadcast before being corrected by meteorologist Adam Klotz.

“We do not have a relationship with Lil Nas X or MSCHF,” the company said in a statement to The Associated Press. “Nike did not design or release these shoes and we do not endorse them.”

The music video for Lil Nas X’s new song shows the musician, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, descending into hell, dancing for Satan and claiming the devil’s horns as his own.

But the 21-year-old seems largely unbothered by the lawsuit, and has issued several tweets poking fun at the situation. After facing backlash for the video and the subsequent shoe drop, Lil Nas X shared a video to his official YouTube page entitled “Lil Nas X Apologizes for Satan Shoe,” in which the artist actually promoted both the shoes and the music video. 

The rapper even offered to gift the 666th pair of the “Satan Shoes” to a lucky fan who shared his tweet. According to MSCHF, every other pair sold out almost immediately.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. This article has been updated to reflect the status of the temporary restraining order.