Nike Sues Don C and RSVP Gallery Over $190K Debt

Nike has filed a lawsuit against RSVP Gallery, the Chicago boutique co-founded by Don C and Virgil Abloh, over unpaid invoices totaling nearly $200,000.

Nike is asking for $190,191.95 in outstanding payments related to merchandise supplied to RSVP from September 2023 to March 2024 in the complaint, filed in the Northern District of Illinois. Don Crawley Jr., a.k.a Don C is named in the filing as a guarantor of the store’s debts. Nike alleges that by not honoring the outstanding balances, RSVP violated the agreement it signed with the company.

The list of invoices in question features products shipped by Nike that RSVP did not pay for. At the time of writing, neither Nike nor Don C has issued a comment on the lawsuit. For sneakerheads, the case is an unexpected development, as Don C has a long history with Nike and Jordan Brand, both with his Just Don label and various collaborations over the years.

The case is not an isolated one. In fact, less than a month prior to this, Nike also filed a lawsuit for over $126,000 against Edison Chen’s Juice Los Angeles, though it was later withdrawn. Taken together, these cases show Nike is getting serious about going after clients for outstanding payments, even if they are well-known boutiques or industry veterans.

RSVP Gallery is an institution of Chicago’s sneaker scene, acting as a cultural epicenter for music, art, and fashion since it opened in 2009. The lawsuit tarnishes some of the shine of what is widely considered one of the most influential stores in the city’s history. While the case could be settled before a judgment, Nike is sending a clear signal that it will be coming down harder on businesses with unpaid bills in the future, no matter their names.

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