Why Nike Is Suing a Music Label Over the SB Shane Shoe

Nike Inc. is fighting back against independent music label Soulection’s claims of trademark infringement.

Days after the Swoosh released its Nike SB Shane Shoe this month, the brand received a cease and desist letter from Soulection alleging that the the logo on the shoe violated the trademark rights for Soulection’s logo. Rather than yield to the cease and desist request, Nike is fighting back against the allegation through the courts: As first reported by The Fashion Law, the sneaker giant has filed a complaint against the artist collective seeking a “prompt judicial declaration of its rights so that it can put Soulection and its threats behind it.”

The Nike SB Shane was released on Feb. 1 in collaboration with Nike-sponsored skateboarder Shane O’Neill. The shoe features personalized “Shane” logos in the form of a “Shane Sun Graphic,” which Soulection claims infringes upon its trademarked logo.

An image from the Nike filing showing the Soulection logo and Shane Sun Graphic side by side. In a Feb. 5 cease and desist letter, Soulection claimed that the Swoosh had engaged in “blatant and willful infringement” with its Nike SB Shane Shoe and was “undoubtedly attempting to intentionally evoke Soulection.” The music label said it would seek legal action against Nike should it not cease use of the Shane logo and pay a monetary settlement based on shoe sales.

Meanwhile, Nike claims the Shane Sun Graphic was developed through “a months-long iterative process aimed at how to best evoke Shane O’Neill, his interests, his style and his lifelong passion for skateboarding.” The athletic powerhouse claims it had no knowledge of Soulection’s logo. Therefore, Nike claims, Soulection’s cease and desist letter was meritless, and the music entity is an “opportunitic” party that made “legally unsound” claims.