The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 223 — The gloves are off between Nike and StockX
I'm rooting for everyone to lose.
What’s good, family! Thank you so much for rocking with the Kicks You Wear today. I appreciate your time! You’re the greatest.
Have you had your homies subscribe yet? We’re still on the way to 5k subs and I’m itching to give some kicks away!
Things got real messy this week. Let’s jump in.
This has gotten pretty messy, hasn’t it?
And here we thought Nike and StockX were only going to court over NFTs. Nope. This just evolved into something a bit bigger — and messier — than that.
In the news: Nike is reportedly seeking to add counterfeiting and false advertising claims to its trademark-infringement lawsuit against StockX, Bloomberg reports.
The swoosh said it purchased four pairs of counterfeit shoes from StockX’s platform in the span of two months, per Complex Sneakers.
StockX’s authentication system guarantees 100% authenticity from their legit checks. Nike says they didn’t get that. That’s where the false advertising claim comes in.
The counterfeiting claim comes from StockX selling inauthentic sneakers.
These claims are being added on top of the claim that StockX is using Nike’s image and likeness to sell their Vault NFT product. These are all some pretty heavy accusations.
Between the lines: This is just Nike trying to destroy public trust in StockX to better their case. They’re aware that we — the sneaker-loving public — know fakes get through StockX at times. But they want everyone else to know, too. They’re totally eradicating whatever faith people have in StockX’s business model.
What StockX is saying: Of course, they had a rebuttal. The company sent out a statement defending its authentication system. But the hook here is they used prominent Nike employees to do it.
Nike’s latest filing is not only baseless but also is curious given that their own brand protection team has communicated confidence in our authentication program, and that hundreds of Nike employees—including current senior executives—use StockX to buy and sell products. This latest tactic amounts to nothing more than a panicked and desperate attempt to resuscitate its losing legal case against our innovative Vault NFT program that revolutionizes the way that consumers can buy, store, and sell collectibles safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
Y’all. They went there. Nike’s brand protection team has endorsed StockX? Senior Executives are buying and selling on the resale platform? Yo. That’s a big damn deal.
This could potentially open a lot of doors that will be awfully hard to close again.
For StockX, I’m still not sure this is a battle they actually want to keep fighting. The company is literally biting the hand that feeds it.
Nike and Jordan Brand are the top two selling brands on StockX’s platform. This could devolve into a situation where Nike fights to stop its product from being sold on the platform at all. That’s a big loss.
For Nike, there’s risk here, too. The implication from StockX’s statement is that not only have they worked together before, but high-level Nike employees are using this platform to buy and sell company products.
I have no idea what that means. Those details getting out could — if they’re less than flattering — might hurt public goodwill more than any NFT would.
And, rest assured, we will get those details if these two sides don’t settle. The discovery process will eke those details out.
My take: We have no idea what’s coming. But whatever it may be could absolutely change the fabric of the sneaker industry as we know it.
There’s a world where Nike could potentially endorse particular secondary marketplaces and authentication services out there.
And it might also mean cleaning up the scarcity problem in sneakers so that fakes might not be so prevalent on the market.
We’re a long way away from any of that right now. But, in the end, this legal battle could help consumers in a major way. And, honestly, that wouldn’t be so bad.
Balenciaga must be stopped
Distressed clothing is nothing new in the fashion world. But now, we’re in a space where it’s starting to just go too far.
Balenciaga is dropping sneakers that look like they’ve been run over by approximately 1,826 cars in an evening of rush hour traffic. I am not kidding. This is beyond distressed.
Dog. Look at this. They’re making 100 pairs of these and selling them for $1,850 a pop.
To be fair to Balenciaga, I guess, the joints pictured above are not actually the ones being sold, per Complex.
Now, don’t get me wrong. They look like hot garbage. But at least they don’t look like they’ve been chilling in your backyard getting chewed on by the dog for 10 years. But still, this is so silly.
Between the lines: This isn’t just the latest foray into dystopian-chic Balenciaga is putting on for us. They did this on purpose so we would react the way we have.
This is high fashion demand creation. They’re building hype. Fashion houses are notorious for creating wild and, pretty much, unwearable clothes to get people talking about them. It’s generating hype. For example, remember that time Virgil and Louis V. turned Paris into an outfit?
We’re playing right into their hands with this. Balenciaga made these dusty-ass shoes and we’re talking about them. They won.
But, even with that thought, this is all just so very weird. This tweet perfectly captures why. These are rich people cosplaying as impoverished folks and…yeah. Weird.
That’s all I can really say about it. Well, that and I really want to talk with someone who pre-ordered these joints.
Because wtf.
Travis Scott is OFFICIALLY back
Here we go, folks. The Travis Scott Air Max 1 that was supposed to release last November is finally coming at the end of the month.
Details: The Maxes along with a couple of pairs of Air Trainer 1s are dropping on May 27. They’ll also have another release on May 20 via Scott’s boutique, Space Village.
It’s been a while: Things have been pretty quiet on the Travis front since the Astroworld festival tragedy last year.
In the months following, he did charity work and started to make public appearances again to test the waters and see where things stood.
Apparently, things are good enough for him to release these shoes now.
We know how this is going. People have been waiting on these things for nearly a calendar year. When these shoes drop, they’ll sell out quickly.
It just goes to show you all that public grandstanding after the Astroworld events really didn’t mean that much to people. Attention spans are short. We move on to the next thing fast.
Even if the last thing was literal death. Make of that what you will.
The Flyest NASCAR ever
I didn’t know I needed to see a Jordan Brand race car, but now that I’ve seen it I cannot get enough of it.
Kurt Busch is racing in a Black Cement Air Jordan 3 whip this weekend at Kansas Speedway and this is just incredible. Wow.
That’s so good, y’all. If you’re going to turn a sneaker into a car, the Jordan 3 is definitely the right one to do. My partner in crime Michelle Martinelli has more on this over at For The Win.
#TheKicksWeWear
Y’ALL KNOW THE VIBES LETS GOOOOOOOOO
First, the homie Rob popped out in the Hello Kitty Air Prestos and MAN these joints are fly.
The homie Andy came through in these Boost Golf joints and I really need to hit the green soon.
Then my guy Rick Dubb came through in the Kung Fu Kenny React Element joints. CLEAN.
Michael Sykes, II @MikeDSykes
🚨 IT. IS. THURSDAAAAAAY!!!!!!! 🚨 YALL KNOW THE VIBES! #TheKicksWeWear coming at you fam!!! What we rocking today???? The weather been treating yall nice! Let's see that heat!The homie Luis gave us an absolute TREAT with these Blazers. These joints are sick.
Then the homie Greer came through clean, per usual, with the Denim Tears chucks.
The homie Jelani popped out “casual” with these fly ass Bapes. CASUAL, y’all. Wow.
My guy Warren popped out in the A Ma Maniére Jordan 1 and they’re SO good.
Then my dog Adrian sent us home in the Pistachio Union Dunks. *clears throat* SHEEEEEEEEESH.
Y’all smoked that, moe. SMOKED IT.
Thank you so much for rocking with me, family! Appreciate y’all. You’re the absolute best. New episode of Special Delivery coming out today on the Go Flyease! Come rock with us. Like, subscribe, comment. All that good stuff.
Otherwise, catch you on Monday. Peace and love. Be easy. Be safe. Be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯
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