How A Lawsuit By Big Tobacco And A Cease And Desist By Nike Created A Shoe Legend

John Kim November 5th, 2018 (updated)

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Ari Saal Forman’s “Menthol 10s” were created to spark a dialogue, but things went south when it caught the attention of a Big Tobacco company. The infamous release, a bootlegged Air Force 1 with a colorway inspired by Newport cigarettes, quickly caught the attention of Nike as well as Lorillard, the parent company of the iconic cigarette brand. The latter didn’t take too kindly to the matter as they went after Ari with full force. To this day, the Ari Menthol 10 release, which went down exclusively in NYC’s Alife and Clientele, is considered to be one of the most controversial and provoking shoes in history – and perhaps the last of its kind. Check out the latest episode of Beyond The Box, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page for more exclusive content.

Written by

John Kim, Editor-in-Chief

John Kim is the current Editor-in-Chief of Sneaker News, taking over the role in 2014 after joining the company in 2009. Born and raised in Queens, NY, John has published interviews with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Pusha T, Pharrell, and more. He is considered among the most trusted voices in the industry and is a fixture at important brand events across the globe.