Hey Glamazons!
I didn't see this one coming. Alexander McQueen is suing Steve Madden (pictured above with yours truly) for copying his "Faithful Bootie," stitch for stitch, claiming "the only design element of the ‘Faithful Bootie’ that Madden did not deliberately copy is the zipper pull that contains the ‘Alexander McQueen’ trademark.” via NYMag.com. Messy!
Check out both designs below...guess which one is the knock-off:
Yeah, Alexander McQueen's Faithful bootie is on your left;
Steve Madden's Seryna bootie is on your right.
I can't imagine how infuriating it must be to pour blood, sweat and tears into your work only to have a low-end, mass-produced brand copy your design.
However, as a broke, entry-level employee who has the terrible fortune of requesting and begrudgingly returning the most beautiful fashions for a living, I have been a proud beneficiary of Steve Madden's copy-cat designs for years.
Take the below. Beyonce wore these eye-catching Balenciaga lego sandals, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, to the American Music Awards. And there I am, perpetrating, wearing the same design for less than a fraction of the price, courtesy of Steve Madden.
Beyonce's were $4,175; mine were $99.95.
At first, it felt like a steal but now, I feel guilty. Is my Steve Madden purchase as bad as buying a Gucci knockoff for next to nothing from the peddlers in Chinatown? (Only difference being, as McQueen's lawyers pointed out, Steve Madden copies everything BUT the logo.)
What do you think? Is it okay for mass retailers to "be inspired by" high-end designers as long as they don't copy the design exactly? Do you care if the copy is a complete knock-off as long as it brings you high fashion at an affordable price? Are you ashamed to rock a fake bag from Chinatown while wearing your Balenciaga knock-offs from Steve Madden with dignity?
Discuss.
Kisses,
Coutura