Full Breakdown
7-Eleven Sues Nike Over Air Max 95 Tri-Color Design
7/4/2026, 12:57:24 PM
Trademark Dispute Over Tri-Color Design
On July 1, 2026, 7-Eleven Inc. sued Nike Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (case No. 3:26-cv-02201-X), alleging that Nike’s Air Max 95 “Big Bubble” sneaker, scheduled for a July 11 release, copies the retailer’s orange-green-red “Tri-Color Mark.” The chain says it has used the stripe pattern in signage and merchandise since at least 1987 and holds multiple federal trademarks covering the design. A 2020 Nike SB Dunk Low collaboration between the two brands was cancelled, leaving no recent licensing agreement.
Legal Claims and Relief Sought
The complaint lists seven causes of action, including federal trademark infringement, dilution and unfair competition under the Lanham Act and four Texas common-law claims. 7-Eleven requests a permanent injunction, recall and destruction of all Air Max 95 units, disgorgement of profits, treble and exemplary damages, interest and attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial.
Official Statements & Responses
7-Eleven said the suit was necessary because Nike continued with the July 11 launch despite repeated attempts to negotiate a resolution, noting that the date aligns with its “birthday” promotion. Nike has not commented, and the sneaker’s SNKRS listing was removed after the filing.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nike has shown a callous and malicious disregard for 7-Eleven’s rights,” — 7-Eleven, lawsuit filing
- “based on the unauthorized use of our brand along with the impending launch in a matter of days on our birthday, 7-Eleven Day (7/11), we had to act quickly and decisively to protect our brand.” — 7-Eleven, statement
- “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.” — 7-Eleven, lawsuit
- “Nike’s infringement is a deliberate and willful effort to associate its footwear with 7-Eleven by copying or imitating the Tri-Color Mark,” — 7-Eleven, lawsuit
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The filing points to media stories and third-party listings that call the shoe the “7-Eleven shoe,” yet no independent evidence of consumer confusion is provided. Nike has not issued a response, and the SNKRS app now shows a 404 error for the product. Prices for the sneaker on the secondary market reportedly more than doubled after the lawsuit, indicating market impact without confirmed sales.
What’s Next
The court will first address 7-Eleven’s request for a preliminary injunction; a hearing on that relief is expected before discovery begins. If granted, Nike would be ordered to halt sales, recall any distributed pairs and destroy related marketing materials while the trademark claims proceed toward a jury trial.
