The litigation between Nike and John Geiger concerning the designer’s lookalike Air Force 1 sneaker has escalated. After a California judge refused to dismiss the trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and unfair competition claims that Nike set against Geiger, the designer’s attorneys have countersued Nike’s lawsuit with their own claims.
According to a court document filed on February 22, as first seen by Complex, Geiger’s attorneys seek to “invalidate and cancel” what they argue are unenforceable trademarks. The designer and his team have maintained throughout the lawsuit that his GF-01 sneaker has little resemblance to Nike’s Air Force 1 sneaker, pointing out the shoe’s original sole, new materials, and separate logos.
