Nike Walks The Shoe Surgeon Into Lawsuit Over ‘Empire’ Of Unauthorized Kicks
Photo 145376771 © Keechuan | Dreamstime.com
Nike has filed a lawsuit to make it clear that it is not sole-mates with famed Los Angeles-based sneaker customizer The Shoe Surgeon, real name Dominic Ciambrone, are not sole-mates. The complaint, made in the Southern District of New York, accuses the designer of illegally using the sportswear giant’s trademarks and essentially creating an “empire” built on counterfeiting.
Nike alleges that The Shoe Surgeon has gone beyond the realm of one-of-a-kind artistic creations for celebrities and high-profile clients, and instead has begun mass-producing and selling custom sneakers that infringe upon Nike’s trademarks.
Nike is suing powerhouse sneaker customizer Shoe Surgeon. In a lawsuit filed today, it accused the Surgeon a/k/a Dominic Ciambrone, of running an "illicit 'Nike' empire." pic.twitter.com/67OYCMWof0
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) July 15, 2024
Adding fuel to the fire, Nike has condemned The Shoe Surgeon’s practice of creating “unauthorized collaborations.” These involve combining Nike shoes with other brands, forging partnerships that simply don’t exist.
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The lawsuit asserts these custom designs closely resemble popular models like the Air Force 1 and Air Jordan lines, but lack authorization and mislead consumers into believing they’re official Nike products. This, according to the company, not only infringes on its trademarks but also tarnishes the brand reputation it has carefully cultivated over decades.
Nike is suing The Shoe Surgeon 👀âœï¸
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) July 15, 2024
Nike is claiming The Surgeon has an “illicit “Nike” Empire” + are even going after his Surgeon Academy courses ðŸ“
Sneaker Custom Artists beware 😳🎨 pic.twitter.com/W0KNs8vD7F
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The Shoe Surgeon also recently got into a dispute with Goyard, which said that the customizer had applied its canvas material over footwear without its permission.
The Swoosh itself seeks a hefty sum in compensation—over US$60 million in damages, a figure that could potentially triple if they win in court, accounting for the alleged profits from these counterfeit operations and the legal expenses. It says previous attempts to resolve the issue amicably with The Shoe Surgeon fell apart, leading it to resort to litigation.
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[via Complex, Sneaker News, Sole Retriever, FN, images via various sources]
