just weeks after his collaboration with Jeff staple on a “Pigeon Dunk”-inspired shoe, Warren Lotas is now being sued by Nike over a series of “SB dunk low rip-offs.” A project that the designer began working on at the start of the year, he kicked it off with the “Heineken” then the Stüssy “Cherry”, and now, it seems like the Swoosh has had enough.
According to reports, the Beaverton brand are alleging that Lotas’ sneakers are “confusing similar” to their own dunk low line-up and that he is “promoting and selling fakes of coveted Nike Dunks.” The filing to the Los Angeles district Court goes on to state that “Warren Lotas intentionally created the confusion, and he is attempting to capitalize on it, by, among other things, using Nike’s registered dunk word mark, using Nike’s registered dunk trade dress, and using a mark that is confusingly similar to Nike’s famous Swoosh design to promote and sell his fakes.”
Looking to protect its intellectual property, Nike have reported that they’ve suffered “irreparable injury to its business” and they are seeking three-times the damages that have been incurred, profits from sales, reimbursement of lawsuit, and attorney fees. They’ve also condemned the artist’s “shoes, apparel, digital files, packaging, printed graphics, promotional materials, business cards, signs, labels, advertisements, flyers, circulars” as well.
In the past, Lotas has called his version of the Nike SB dunk low “customs” and “reinterpretations”, but it’s clear to see that they are pretty much just one-to-one copies of the original with triple the price tag due to their alleged “premium materials”. let us know what you think of this news, and while you’re here, you might as well take your first look at the Nike SB dunk low “Wheat Mocha”!
Image via united states district Court