Ublack basketball, a red cross on the tongue, a bronze pentagram hanging from the laces and, above all, a sole filled with an intriguing red liquid… All highlighted on a web page dominated by black and red, with typography bloody and with a lot of medieval imagery representing skulls, naked and gaunt bodies, not to mention a few snakes. No more doubt, it is indeed to the devil that it is referred to here.
The sale of these Satan Shoes (“satanic shoes”), Monday March 29, by the company MSCHF, in partnership with Lil Nas X, is scandalous in the United States. American rapper just released Montero (Call Me By Your Name), in the clip of which he performs a lustful dance on the thighs … of the devil.
In this marketing operation, nothing was left to chance. The limited number of pairs of shoes, already: 666 – commonly called the “number of the Beast” according to the Bible. The price, then: 1,018 dollars (about 860 euros). Why ? Small index printed in red at the bottom of the shoe: “Luke 10:18”. Yes, there is a reference to the verse of the Gospel according to Saint Luke: “Jesus said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’ “ The inverted five-pointed star (the pentagram, therefore) is, for its part, sometimes considered a satanic symbol.
“It’s evil and heresy”
And, finally, in the sole, this vermilion red liquid which catches the eye… and which we are given with a small animated GIF of the most beautiful effect on the online store. Its composition? 60 cubic centimeters of red ink and… a drop of human blood. Yes, yes, real blood. And even the blood of six of the MSCHF employees (this is, in any case, what the company claims to New York Times).
The moment is also important: we are on the eve of Easter, a feast celebrating the resurrection of Christ, bearer of the hope of salvation. “It is evil and heresy and I pray that Christians stand up against it”, reacted on Twitter media evangelical pastor Mark Burns, supporter of former Republican President Donald Trump.
These #SatanShoes by #Nike & #LilNasX with 666 and a drop of human blood in the sole is a reason why we Christians… https://t.co/Kh7AeVBDOt
On his Twitter account, Lil Nas X, known for his hit Old town road (2019), shared sermon scenes devoted to his shoes. He was also amused by the fact that the conservative television channel Fox News devotes a topic to him. “We are engaged in a fight to save the soul of our nation, tweeted, Sunday, Republican Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem. We must fight hard, (…) intelligently. We have to win. “
This limited model is, in reality, a cover of an Air Max 97 sneaker made by Nike. MSCHF and Lil Nas X have therefore also attracted the wrath of the equipment manufacturer. Nike sued the small company in federal civil court in Brooklyn, asking for a suspension of delivery of the shoes (which were all sold within hours) and damages.
“The Satan Shoes were produced without Nike’s approval or authorization, said the equipment manufacturer. Nike is in no way associated with this project. “ The group points out that the model is confusing and that calls to boycott Nike have already been made. MSCHF is not at its first attempt, they had already released, in 2019, Jesus Shoes, a white Air Max 97 model containing holy water.
Lil Nas X – MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) [SATAN’S EXTENDED VERSION] https://t.co/nW88PmtuEU https://t.co/OvqoPr6zvt
