Nike Settles Lawsuit With The Shoe Surgeon Over Trademark Dispute

UPDATE - 23/07/2025:

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Nearly a year after Nike launched a $60 million USD lawsuit against Dominic Ciambrone, a.k.a The Shoe Surgeon, the legal proceedings have ended, with reports confirming the two parties have officially reached a confidential settlement.

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Filed in July 2024, Nike’s lawsuit accused Ciambrone of infringing on over 30 trademarks through the unauthorised production and sale of reworked or “custom” Nike sneakers, also stating that he taught others to do the same through workshops held at his Shoe Surgeon Academy.

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At the time, The Shoe Surgeon team shared the following statement in response to Nike’s lawsuit:

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“We are confused Nike has chosen litigation over a discussion, but we are confident with proper dialogue and collaboration we can resolve this with the new management team and turn it into a win for the culture.”

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The settlement, confirmed in court filings this month, includes a permanent injunction against Ciambrone, stating that he can no longer use Nike branding, molds, or templates for any commercial or promotional purposes. However, he is still allowed to create custom pieces made from genuine Nike products on a case-by-case basis, so long as they follow strict guidelines outlined by the brand.

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Although it is unknown whether The Shoe Surgeon coughed up the $60 million USD Nike was originally seeking, official reports confirm that Ciambrone has paid the American sportswear giant an undisclosed sum to settle the dispute.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE - 17/07/2024:

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After wrapping up proceedings in April from its most recent legal dispute with Bape, Nike has unleashed its lawyers once again, turning their attention to Dominic Ciambrone, a.k.a The Shoe Surgeon, over claims that the custom sneaker linchpin is using Nike trademarks without permission.

The Shoe Surgeon is a prolific solo act within the sneaker space, most commonly known for his reimagining of iconic Nike releases that are entirely handmade from start to finish, using exotic materials and a meticulous approach to detail that simply cannot be achieved through mass production methods.

Claims of trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and unauthorized wholesale usurpation of the Nike brand were cited in official court documents. Nike also claims that it attempted to settle with Ciambrone on several occasions, only for the infringing products to be removed from the Shoe Surgeon's website, before returning at a later date.

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Noteworthy silhouettes mentioned in the filing include the Air Force 1 and models 1-through-4 of Nike’s Air Jordan range.

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An official statement from Nike reads: “Nike seeks to enjoin Ciambrone and the other defendants in their attempts to build an entire multifaceted retail empire through their unauthorised use of Nike’s trademark rights and the associated goodwill that Nike spent decades accruing."

This is alluding to the Shoe Surgeon Academy - an operation started by Cambrione that teaches students the same hand-crafting techniques that landed him clients such as Drake, Lebron James and many more high-profile figures.

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Nike is seeking $60 million dollars in compensation for infringements on “over 30 Nike trademarks, trebled, and grouped with attorneys’ fees."

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Nike has since outlined that it is open to allowing the Shoe Surgeon to continue producing 1-of-1 special products for Nike-sponsored athletes or brand affiliates.

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Ciambrone is yet to release a statement.