Another day, another moral panic. This time, the fainting couches are being dragged out over a pair of sneakers. Yes, you read that correctly. The new Jordan Session, a skateboarding-inspired shoe from Nike’s iconic Jordan Brand, has sent certain corners of the internet into a tizzy, with claims that the footwear is, of course, Satanic. To which we say: finally, some stylish footwear fit for the modern Satanist.
The shoes themselves are a delightful pastiche of infernal imagery. Clad in black pony hair with a scale-printed midsole, the Jordan Session comes complete with chain and piercing accessories, a brooding eye on the tongue, and a pair of red horns extending from the sides. The pièce de résistance, however, is the style code: IM6666-066. One doesn’t need to be a student of demonology to spot the unsubtle nod to the number of the beast.
Of course, Jordan Brand, ever the corporate citizen, has issued a denial that reads like a parody of corporate damage control. The company claims the design is a celebration of the “Year of the Bull” for a limited China release. This explanation rings particularly hollow when one considers that the last Year of the Bull was in 2021 and the next isn’t until 2033. A likely story indeed. It seems more probable that the “bull” in question is the one they’re feeding to the public.
The timing of this denial is particularly amusing given that Michael Jordan himself once famously called the red and black Air Jordan colors “the devil’s colors” back when the original Air Jordan 1 was controversial enough to be temporarily banned by the NBA.
This isn’t the first time Nike has danced with the devil, though previously it was without their consent. In 2021, the art collective MSCHF and rapper Lil Nas X released the infamous Satan Shoes, a modified Nike Air Max 97 that allegedly contained a drop of human blood and sold for $1,018 each. Nike, in a fit of performative outrage, sued MSCHF, claiming they didn’t endorse Satanism. The lawsuit was settled, and the shoes became a collector’s item, fetching up to $15,000 on auction sites.
Now, with the Jordan Session, it seems Nike has learned its lesson: why let a third party have all the fun when you can cash in on the controversy yourself? The parallels are striking. Where the Satan Shoes featured pentagrams and inverted crosses, the Jordan Session opts for horns and demonic eyes. Where Lil Nas X’s collaboration sold 666 pairs, Jordan’s style code cheekily references the same number. The only difference is that this time, Nike is in control of the narrative.
The absurdity reaches its peak when one considers the Christian outrage over what is, fundamentally, a $125 skateboarding shoe. The same demographic that loses its collective mind over sneaker aesthetics seems remarkably unbothered by actual issues of corporate malfeasance, slave labor, or social injustice. But a few decorative horns on footwear? That’s apparently where they draw the line.
The fact is, the devil is quite fashionable these days. Satan has long been a symbol of individuality and rebellion against conformity. It was only a matter of time before a major brand like Jordan decided to capitalize on this trend. And why shouldn’t they? If certain Christians are going to have a meltdown over a pair of shoes, why not make them stylish enough to be worth the controversy?
The Jordan Session represents something larger than footwear though. It’s a masterclass in manufactured outrage marketing. Jordan Brand gets to play both sides: they can wink at the controversy while maintaining plausible deniability through their “Year of the Bull” explanation. Meanwhile, the free publicity from moral panic ensures the shoes will likely sell out faster than you can say “Hail Satan.”
So, to our dear readers, we say this: embrace the absurdity. Enjoy the spectacle of grown adults losing their minds over sneaker design choices. And if you’re in the market for some new kicks, the Jordan Session might just be the perfect fit. After all, who says you can’t be comfortable while you’re allegedly damning your eternal soul? At $125, it’s certainly more affordable than the aftermarket Satan Shoes.
In the end, the real devil here isn’t in the details of the shoe design—it’s in the genius of a marketing strategy that turns moral outrage into free advertising. Jordan Brand has managed to create a product that simultaneously appeals to sneaker enthusiasts, rebellion-minded youth, and controversy-loving media outlets, all while maintaining enough corporate cover to avoid serious backlash. Now that’s what we call diabolically clever.
Sources:
Jordan Brand Responds to Satan Rumors Over New Session Sneaker – WWD (https://wwd.com/footwear-news/sneaker-news/jordan-session-devil-release-date-im6666-066-1238218941/)
Not Satanic: Jordan Brand Denies Devil Claims About Sneakers – Sports Illustrated (https://www.si.com/fannation/sneakers/news/not-satanic-jordan-brand-denies-devil-claims-about-sneakers)
Satan Shoes – Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satan_Shoes)
