Nike has reached a confidential settlement with custom sneaker creator The Shoe Surgeon. The agreement follows Nike’s July 2024 lawsuit accusing him of trademark infringement, mass customization, and counterfeiting. Although the precise amount of the settlement is undisclosed, it’s reported to involve a significant payment from The Shoe Surgeon.
Under the settlement, he must stop selling custom footwear that uses Nike trademarks or mimics official designs at scale. However, he’s allowed to continue offering one-off customizations, as long as he clearly discloses they are not sponsored by Nike and are for personal use only.
The Shoe Surgeon responded publicly, saying he was surprised Nike chose litigation over dialogue. He added he hoped a better conversation with Nike could turn this into a positive result for sneaker culture. Nike, in contrast, emphasized that the legal action was a last resort after multiple failed attempts to resolve the issue privately.
This outcome brings an end to a high-profile dispute over the boundary between creative customization and infringement. As sneaker customization grows, the case sets a precedent on the boundaries of trademark usage.
