Nike is telling Dominic “ the Shoe Surgeon ” Ciambrone just don’t do it. The footwear company has filed a lawsuit against the sneaker customizer for counterfeiting, mass customization, and trademark infringement, Hypebeast reported on Monday. The Shoe Surgeon is well known for selling bespoke sneakers , some of which play on Nike’s designs but are not approved collaborations with the footwear giant.
As such, Nike has decided to take legal action. “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,” Nike said in a statement shared with Hypebeast.
“It is unfortunate that after many attempts to resolve this matter privately, we’ve had to take legal action against the Shoe Surgeon.” According to Sneaker & Streetwear Legal Services, a law firm that handles similar cases, Nike is asking the court to stop the Shoe Surgeon from selling counterfeit shoes , offering customization classes that teach others how to create Nike-like sneakers, and using Nike’s intellectual property with his collaborators. Additionally, the company wants compensation for the more than 30 trademarks that the Shoe Surgeon has used to make more than $60 million.
(The Shoe Surgeon did not respond to Hypebeast’s request for comment.) Nike has previously worked directly with the Shoe Surgeon, creating custom sneakers for Nike athletes like .