Affordable Alternative for Christian Louboutin Lovers!
- Thread starter AlohaCA213
- Start date
I consider Oh Deer shoes CL knockoffs. If you're copying the style and the color of the shoe, I don't care that the tag that noone sees says anything other than "CL" -- for all intents and purposes, you want to look exactly like a CL shoe.
It's like the whole host of cheap B bags or MJ Stams or Fendi Spy's sold on the streets -- these bags don't have obvious emblems or logos on them, but they are DISTINCTLY a Marc Jacobs or a Spy or a BBag. The intention of the manufacturer of these cheap bags is not just to imitate a style -- it's to infer a BRAND with that particular style.
Want a shoe style? Go for it. But why the style that looks exactly like a CL style, with a red sole? Because it's a direct knock-off of CL.
No Oh Deers for me, just like I'll do a $100 bag from a no-brand name company, but NOT a $20 Stam look-alike. It's what I hold myself to, NOT anyone else.
It's like the whole host of cheap B bags or MJ Stams or Fendi Spy's sold on the streets -- these bags don't have obvious emblems or logos on them, but they are DISTINCTLY a Marc Jacobs or a Spy or a BBag. The intention of the manufacturer of these cheap bags is not just to imitate a style -- it's to infer a BRAND with that particular style.
Want a shoe style? Go for it. But why the style that looks exactly like a CL style, with a red sole? Because it's a direct knock-off of CL.
No Oh Deers for me, just like I'll do a $100 bag from a no-brand name company, but NOT a $20 Stam look-alike. It's what I hold myself to, NOT anyone else.
This srticle was posted by someone on another fashion forum recently. I guess he is starting to take action. It may have taken him a while to prove that the red sole has become widely known as being synonmous with his brand....which may have been more difficult in the early years. This will be interesting to watch from a legal perspective.
As I posted Nine West has the fishnet CL copy, Miu Miu has a shoe out now with a red sole, Macys has a shoe brand Unlisted that has a patent pump with red soles, Steve Madden has a shoe now available for pre-order http://www.stevemadden.com/item_image.asp?id=14583 that was just made available on Net-a-Porter for preorder by CL http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/product/26843. It is pretty rampant now. When I look at the black cap toe on the new CL bootie that reminds of a signature Chanel detail....which makes you wonder about CL's inspiration for that shoe. A lot of other people are doing that cap toe detail also ala Chanel.
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From counterfeitchic.com
Lawyering Up Louboutin
Christian Louboutin's immortal soles have often been stolen by copyists -- but the shoe designer extraordinaire is finally preparing to save them.
The actual shoe designs are, of course, unprotected by U.S. law. Louboutin's trade dress in the form of his signature red soles is another matter, however. Counterfeit Chic has wondered -- repeatedly -- why the designer would risk allowing such an effective signature to become generic by failing to take legal action.
It turns out that mere weeks after the first Counterfeit Chic comment on the subject, Louboutin's lawyers did indeed file an application with the U.S. Trademark Office. And last week, the mark consisting of "a lacquered red sole on footwear" was published for opposition, meaning that "[a]ny person who believes he would be damaged by the registration" has 30 days to speak up. Oh dear, Oh...Deer!
But this isn't the first time that Louboutin has tried to register his red soles. Back in 2001, the company filed a similar application but abandoned it without completing the process for reasons that are not revealed by the incomplete online file. One guess is that in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Wal-Mart v. Samara Brothers, 529 U.S. 205 (2000), Louboutin wasn't prepared to make the required showing of secondary meaning for his product configuration.
This time around, however, the application was accompanied by the kind of information as often found in a press kit or magazine interview as in correspondence with the Trademark Office. In Louboutin's words:
Overall, though, Louboutin presents strong evidence of the distinctiveness of his trade dress in the eyes of his well-heeled clientele -- which bodes well for his officially becoming its sole proprietor.
As I posted Nine West has the fishnet CL copy, Miu Miu has a shoe out now with a red sole, Macys has a shoe brand Unlisted that has a patent pump with red soles, Steve Madden has a shoe now available for pre-order http://www.stevemadden.com/item_image.asp?id=14583 that was just made available on Net-a-Porter for preorder by CL http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/product/26843. It is pretty rampant now. When I look at the black cap toe on the new CL bootie that reminds of a signature Chanel detail....which makes you wonder about CL's inspiration for that shoe. A lot of other people are doing that cap toe detail also ala Chanel.
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From counterfeitchic.com
Lawyering Up Louboutin
Christian Louboutin's immortal soles have often been stolen by copyists -- but the shoe designer extraordinaire is finally preparing to save them.
The actual shoe designs are, of course, unprotected by U.S. law. Louboutin's trade dress in the form of his signature red soles is another matter, however. Counterfeit Chic has wondered -- repeatedly -- why the designer would risk allowing such an effective signature to become generic by failing to take legal action.
It turns out that mere weeks after the first Counterfeit Chic comment on the subject, Louboutin's lawyers did indeed file an application with the U.S. Trademark Office. And last week, the mark consisting of "a lacquered red sole on footwear" was published for opposition, meaning that "[a]ny person who believes he would be damaged by the registration" has 30 days to speak up. Oh dear, Oh...Deer!
But this isn't the first time that Louboutin has tried to register his red soles. Back in 2001, the company filed a similar application but abandoned it without completing the process for reasons that are not revealed by the incomplete online file. One guess is that in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Wal-Mart v. Samara Brothers, 529 U.S. 205 (2000), Louboutin wasn't prepared to make the required showing of secondary meaning for his product configuration.
This time around, however, the application was accompanied by the kind of information as often found in a press kit or magazine interview as in correspondence with the Trademark Office. In Louboutin's words:
In 1992 I incorporated the red sole into the design of my shoes. This happened by accident as I felt the shoes lacked energy so I applied red nail polish to the sole of a shoe. This was such a success that it became a permanent fixture....
The shiny red color of the soles has no function other than to identify to the public that the shoes are mine. I selected the color red because it is engaging, flirtatious, memorable, and the color of passion. It attracts men to the women who wear my shoes....
Actually, this sounds like it has the potential for a very interesting functionality debate indeed, given that functional matter cannot be registered as a trademark. Perhaps competitors eager for a free ride are even now testing the heterosexual human male response to red bottoms. Of shoes, that is. Overall, though, Louboutin presents strong evidence of the distinctiveness of his trade dress in the eyes of his well-heeled clientele -- which bodes well for his officially becoming its sole proprietor.
I personally will only buy Louboutins and just like I said in my earlier post Oh Deer is NO alternative for me. While the shoe design is trying to be the same it really isnt.
Many high-end designers copy each other all the time, and the lower end make copies because they want to bring fashion to the masses naturally. If Mr. Louboutin wants to be unique he needs to trademark or patent his designs, although many artists believe that imitation is a form of flattery.
I know many Louboutin owners can get a little annoyed that their shoes are being copied by lower end designers like Nine-west or Oh Deer but I just wanted to note that couture and high-end designers do get inspired from each other. True its not as obvious as some of knockoffs I have seen on this thread. The thing also to note is that Oh Deer is not as I far as I understand calling their shoes by the same names as Louboutin styles - thankfully.
My best friend recently purchased a pair of steve shoes that are an imitation of the Louboutin Iowa Zeppa peep-toe mary janes that I own. I thought oh my god the horror! But when I saw how happy she was about getting them and her excitement showing me her new purchase that was 'similar' to my shoes I had to hold back and look at it from her point of view. Ofcourse I took note of how different the shoes were from mine and pointed it out to her but I kind of felt a little bad doing that.
I am glad though after reading the article ^ that Mr. Louboutin is considering to take legal action.
Many high-end designers copy each other all the time, and the lower end make copies because they want to bring fashion to the masses naturally. If Mr. Louboutin wants to be unique he needs to trademark or patent his designs, although many artists believe that imitation is a form of flattery.
I know many Louboutin owners can get a little annoyed that their shoes are being copied by lower end designers like Nine-west or Oh Deer but I just wanted to note that couture and high-end designers do get inspired from each other. True its not as obvious as some of knockoffs I have seen on this thread. The thing also to note is that Oh Deer is not as I far as I understand calling their shoes by the same names as Louboutin styles - thankfully.
My best friend recently purchased a pair of steve shoes that are an imitation of the Louboutin Iowa Zeppa peep-toe mary janes that I own. I thought oh my god the horror! But when I saw how happy she was about getting them and her excitement showing me her new purchase that was 'similar' to my shoes I had to hold back and look at it from her point of view. Ofcourse I took note of how different the shoes were from mine and pointed it out to her but I kind of felt a little bad doing that.
I am glad though after reading the article ^ that Mr. Louboutin is considering to take legal action.
I just got my new Victorias Secret catalog today....tons of red soled shoes and a pigalle copy
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/col...cgname=OSSHUANMZZZ&cgnbr=OSSHUANMZZZ&page=all
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/col...cgname=OSSHUANMZZZ&cgnbr=OSSHUANMZZZ&page=all
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Truthfully, I am very torn on this issue. For one thing, I own a few pairs of CL shoes, and I really love them. I think the styles and designs are very unique (e.g. helmut).
On the other hand, I don't like to be a snob. Not everyone can afford $500+ for a pair of shoes; however, everyone should have the right to look good. However, I think people who buy Oh Deer! shoes are taken advantage of a "designer thief," which is wrong.
That doesn't really say much, though. I, also, am looking forward to see how this lawsuit turns out ... I know far too little about IP law.
On the other hand, I don't like to be a snob. Not everyone can afford $500+ for a pair of shoes; however, everyone should have the right to look good. However, I think people who buy Oh Deer! shoes are taken advantage of a "designer thief," which is wrong.
That doesn't really say much, though. I, also, am looking forward to see how this lawsuit turns out ... I know far too little about IP law.
those that like the CL tiger print pump and the activa style may find these appealing as an affordable alternative; They are by Jessica Simpson; try Nordstrom.com and Zappos.com
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My fiance just bought me a couple pairs of CL shoes. Truthfully i never heard of him until about a year ago, long after i started falling for his styles that i saw at guess, steve madden, nine west etc... When i was buying the shoes i wasn't thinking wow these look just like CL I think i'm going to buy them I just bought them because i like the style. So i don't think we should asume everyone who buys these "knock offs" are trying to look like somthing they're not.
It seems kinda silly to me. I'd of course never ever buy a fake bag but I think fake bags are different in that they actually copy a designers coach, lv, etc. logo
But the color of a sole is kind of silly to me? It's like trying to claim stake in the color of the first red shoe, blue shoe, etc. How can anyone own a color? What shade red is the perfect LB red? And I highly doubt he was the only person in hundreds of years to think of a red sole. It's not some invention. It's just a color to me.
But the color of a sole is kind of silly to me? It's like trying to claim stake in the color of the first red shoe, blue shoe, etc. How can anyone own a color? What shade red is the perfect LB red? And I highly doubt he was the only person in hundreds of years to think of a red sole. It's not some invention. It's just a color to me.
I agree. I didn't know who CL was a couple of years ago and would just buy shoes I liked. I doubt most people probably know who he is. If you go to the biggest malls we have here there is no place that sells his shoes. The only place I know of locally is Saks and there are very few people that I ever see there. I'm sure people in New Orleans buy CLs, but I can't think of ever seeing a single person wearing them here.