Nike Sues The Shoe Surgeon Over Alleged Counterfeiting and Trademark Infringement
On July 15, Nike filed a lawsuit against Dominic Ciambrone, better known as The Shoe Surgeon, accusing him of running an “illicit Nike empire” through his custom sneaker business and Surgeon Academy courses. This lawsuit marks the latest chapter in an ongoing battle over intellectual property and brand integrity.
Nike’s lawsuit alleges that The Shoe Surgeon has been encouraging counterfeiting through his Surgeon Academy, where participants learn how to customize and allegedly replicate Nike sneakers using premium materials and designs inspired by luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior. This follows a previous legal dispute where luxury brand Goyard sued The Shoe Surgeon for using their trade dress on custom sneakers.
According to court documents, Nike has issued multiple cease and desist orders to The Shoe Surgeon, accusing him of removing infringing products from his website only to sell them through other channels. Nike claims these actions have created significant confusion in the marketplace, misleading consumers about the authenticity and origin of the products.
Nike acknowledges that it had permitted The Shoe Surgeon to create a limited number of one-off customizations for specific engagements. However, the brand asserts that the extensive customizations and the operation of the Surgeon Academy go far beyond what was agreed upon, infringing on Nike’s trademarks and contributing to a counterfeit market.
Nike’s primary goal is to protect its brand and ensure consumers have access to genuine Nike products, crafted to meet their high standards and performance expectations. The company emphasized its commitment to resolving the matter privately but felt compelled to take legal action after repeated attempts were unsuccessful. Nike’s statement underscores the illegal nature of creating and teaching others to produce counterfeit Nike sneakers, which they argue misleads consumers and dilutes the brand’s value.
Nike valued its past relationship with The Shoe Surgeon and supports creative expression through legitimate, authorized channels. However, to protect its intellectual property and maintain market integrity, Nike sees this lawsuit as a necessary step against what it perceives as widespread counterfeiting and trademark infringement facilitated by The Shoe Surgeon.
Stay tuned to Sneaker Spott for more updates on this developing story and other news in the sneaker world.
images: TheSurgeon / Nike
