Nike is withdrawing its new version of the classic Air Force 1 shoe meant to celebrate Puerto Rico in light of objections from the Guna people, an indigenous group in Panama. Panamanian law recognizes indigenous groups’ rights to their intellectual property and Nike failed to secure the Guna people’s permission to use their traditional swirling, multicolored “Mola” design on the limited edition shoe.
Nike issued a statement: “We apologize for the inaccurate representation of the design origin for the Nike Air Force 1 ‘Puerto Rico’ 2019. As a result, this product will no longer be available.”
A lawyer for the Guna people said that they were not just seeking the shoe’s withdrawal, but also compensation, claiming that the indigenous group’s image was damaged as a result of its use. A traditional Guna leader, Belisario Lopez, stated that the group had no objections to the Mola symbol being commercialized but were angered that it was done without consultation.
Industry sources reportedly indicated that the launch of the shoe was intended to coincide with the Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 9, 2019.
As of June 1, 2026, the Trademarks Opposition Board (TMOB) requires all confidential evidence and documentation in proceedings under sections 11.13, 38, or 45 of the Trademarks Act (the “Act”) to be…
The sneaker company, 1587 Sneakers, is reportedly suing Kansas City Chiefs players, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, along with their restaurant partners, for trademark infringement.1587 Sneakers…
As reported by Bloomberg Law News, PEI Licensing (“PEI”), the owner of the Penguin apparel brand, has sued Pudgy Penguins NFT (“Pudgy Penguins”) for trademark infringement.Pudgy Penguins started as a…
Nike is reportedly attempting to revive its classic “Total 90” soccer cleat line, but has encountered an unexpected setback. Total90, LLC has reportedly asserted that Nike is infringing its…
As reported by Bloomberg, attempts to register marks covering the phrases “All Rise” and “Here Comes the Judge” were rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In…
The Federal Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Promotion in Motion, Inc. (PIM Brands, Inc.) v. Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery LLC offers fresh guidance on how courts evaluate survey evidence…
