According to Stereogum, the lawsuit regarding the conceptual art collective MSCHF and Nike has been settled. In March, MSCHF collaborated with musician Lil Nas X to release a pair of “Satan shoes,” containing a drop of human blood, to go along with his Satan-themed music video for his new song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” The shoes reportedly sold out in under a minute.
Nike filed a lawsuit against MSCHF at the end of March, The shoes featured Nike’s signature logo, but the brand states they had no part in their creation or release. At the beginning of April, a federal judge blocked MSCHF from shipping out any additional pairs of the shoes.
The controversial shoes have led some consumers to boycott the popular shoe brand, and they’ve caused an uproar among religious and political figures.
Nike released a statement regarding the shoes, saying “Nike had nothing to do with the Satan Shoes.” Adding, “If any purchasers were confused, or if they otherwise want to return their shoes, they may do so for a full refund. Purchasers who choose not to return their shoes and later encounter a product issue, defect, or health concern should contact MSCHF, not Nike.”
MSCHF’s attorneys told The Verge, “MSCHF intended to comment on the absurdity of the collaboration culture practiced by some brands, and about the perniciousness of intolerance.” They went on to say, “Having already achieved its artistic purpose, MSCHF recognized that settlement was the best way to allow it to put this lawsuit behind it so that it could dedicate its time to new artistic and expressive projects.”
The shoes were created by MSCHF without the authorization of Nike, using a Nike Air Max 97 as their base. MSCHF has agreed to issue a voluntary recall to purchase back any of the shoes for their original price in order to get them out of circulation.