John Kim Updated July 20th, 2024: Representatives of The Shoe Surgeon have reached out to Sneaker News with an official statement following the lawsuit by Nike. The statement was also posted on the official Instagram account of @thesurgeon.
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We are confused Nike has chosen litigation over a discussion, but we are confident with proper dialogue and collaboration we can resolve this with the new management team and turn it into a win for the culture.
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The below article was originally published on July 15th, 2024.
Nike has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against The Shoe Surgeon, according to documents revealed by @sneakerlegal on X. Scroll to the bottom for Nike’s official statement regarding the matter.
The Shoe Surgeon, fronted by Dominic Chambrone, is arguably the world’s foremost sneaker customizer; best known for his unique, premium customs of Air Jordan 1s, The Shoe Surgeon has grown into the go-to source for one-off footwear from celebrities, pro-athletes, and avid sneaker chasers looking for true distinction in the sneaker scene.
The Shoe Surgeon’s growing notoriety in the footwear industry has allowed its business to expand well beyond one-off Nike/Jordan footwear. In addition to selling multiple pairs of his own custom Air Jordans for above $1,000 per pair, he opened his own sneaker customization school, which teaches students how to make their own custom Air Jordan 1s at their SRGN Academy locations in NYC and LA. Additionally, The Shoe Surgeon has procured partnerships with Reebok, Pepsi, and other major brands.
Nike has no issues with The Shoe Surgeon creating one-of-one product for Nike athletes and associated notable figures; just last year, the brand commissioned The Shoe Surgeon for a pair of sneakers to help commemorate the moment LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
For over two years, Nike has been in contact with The Shoe Surgeon and has met multiple times to voice their concerns about the sale of “counterfeit” shoes billed as Air Jordan 1s as well as as the teaching of others to create their own unauthorized product. According to Nike representatives, The Shoe Surgeon scaled up his business despite giving assurances that he would respect Nike’s rights.
Below is an official statement shared with Sneaker News regarding their legal action against The Shoe Surgeon:
Our goal is to make sure consumers are not misled and have access to authentic NIKE, Inc. products that are authorized and created according to our high standards with the performance benefits they expect. It is unfortunate that after many attempts to resolve this matter privately, we’ve had to take legal action against the Shoe Surgeon for counterfeiting, mass customization and trademark infringement. In order to safeguard our brand and IP, and aligned with Nike’s commitment to protect the consumer from counterfeit Nike product, we are left with no choice but to seek a legal solution to address how the Shoe Surgeon is constructing counterfeit “Nike” footwear from scratch and selling it as officially branded product. Further, the Shoe Surgeon is teaching others to create counterfeit “Nike” sneakers. These activities are illegal, deceive consumers and create confusion in the marketplace around source, authenticity and quality of Nike products.
We valued our relationship with the Shoe Surgeon and do not have any issues with the limited, one-of-one customization he’s been doing for us or his clients, when allowed under Nike-sponsored athletes’ contracts. In fact, we value opportunities for our athletes, consumers and partners to express themselves through their own style and creativity.
Nike’s goals are to ensure that consumers are not misled into buying product that is not official Nike goods. and to protect their intellectual property as they continue to move forward with the business around the Air Jordan 1, one of the brand’s most important tentpoles in their retro footwear business.
