John Kim Nike’s unofficial convenience store-inspired Air Max 95 has just run into a very inconvenient problem.
According to SneakerLegal on X, 7-Eleven has filed a lawsuit against Nike over the upcoming Air Max 95 colorway widely referred to as the “7-Eleven,” alleging that the sneaker infringes on the company’s recognizable tri-color identity of orange, red, and green. While Nike has never formally announced the release as a 7-Eleven collaboration, the shoe’s color blocking, release date, and product description leaves little room for mystery.
Nike’s infringement is a deliberate and willful effort to associate its footwear with 7-Eleven by copying or imitating the Tri-Color Mark. Nike’s misleading practices and misappropriation of 7-Eleven’s Tri-Color Mark likely will cause—and indeed already have caused—confusion among the public and likely will deceive consumers as to the Infringing Footwear’s source, sponsorship, endorsement, or affiliation.
Nike describes the Air Max 95 as “the flyest way to get around, even if you’re just strolling down to the corner store for a quick snack.” The official release date on July 11th also coincides with 7-Eleven’s longstanding “Free Slurpee Day”.
According to the lawsuit, 7-Eleven is seeking to stop Nike from selling the shoes and even recall pairs that may have already been sold. That request could prove difficult in the sneaker world, where pairs often reach resale platforms such as StockX and GOAT before their official release dates. The complaint claims at least one consumer already obtained a pair ahead of the scheduled launch.
The dispute also recalls Nike SB’s unreleased 7-Eleven Dunk Low from 2020, a Japan-exclusive project expected to coincide with the Tokyo Olympics before it was ultimately scrapped. While the reason for that cancellation was never publicly confirmed, the latest lawsuit gives sneaker fans reason to revisit that moment with fresh context.
Unofficial inspiration has long been part of sneaker culture. Brands frequently create colorways that hint at outside references without naming them directly, leaving the media and community to supply the nickname. The 2005 Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Dunk Low, forever known as the “Tiffany” Dunk, remains the clearest example.
As of 9:30 PM ET, Nike has removed the Air Max 95 from SNKRS. The full court documents can be viewed HERE.
