Nike has launched a lawsuit against renowned customizer The Shoe Surgeon, accusing him of building a business empire on counterfeit Nike products. Filed on Monday in the Southern District of New York, the lawsuit claims that The Shoe Surgeon has created and sold counterfeit Nike shoes and offered classes on how to make fake Nike sneakers.
Nike’s lawsuit emphasizes that while The Shoe Surgeon has previously collaborated with Nike on specific projects, the alleged counterfeit products are unrelated to those authorized works. The suit also highlights The Shoe Surgeon’s practice of creating “unauthorized collaborations” between Nike and other brands without official endorsement or affiliation.
Despite attempts by Nike to resolve these issues over the past two years, The Shoe Surgeon allegedly continued to expand his business and produce counterfeit items.
Nike clarified that they have no issue with The Shoe Surgeon’s limited, one-off collaborations.
The Shoe Surgeon, based in Los Angeles, is known for blending elements from various brands into unique shoe designs.
Last month, French fashion label Goyard filed a lawsuit against The Shoe Surgeon for using designs that closely resemble Goyard’s protected patterns without consent.
