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Adventures in Copyright Jun 10, 2009 @ 1:12pm

Adventures in Copyright: A Tribute?

YSLpolliniAICgraphic.jpgThe YSL Tribute sandals are a pair of shoes we have long longed to have in our closets.

The Tribs have been reincarnated several times by YSL—a pump, a sandal, a slingback, an ankle boot. The good folks over at Pollini obviously decided that they, too, should take a stab at reinterpreting the shoe.

The weaving of the leather straps on the toe of the sandal, the platform, and the ankle strap of this version available on Shirise for $760 have been almost exactly replicated.

The Pollini shoe was originally $515 at Shopbop, but is now on sale for $360.50. Perhaps they realized people would rather shell out another $200 for the real deal instead of a copy. Because adding some wood does not a new shoe make.

—MELISSA ELLIOTT

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(1) recommend this (17) Comments

Posted in Adventures in Copyright and Pollini, Shirise, Shoes, Shopbop, YSL

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Comments

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1

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:18PM

This is not/the greatest shoe in the world/ this is just a tribute...

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2

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:25PM

I guess you guys have missed the outright knockoffs priced probably at about $50 and under?

Without the outrageous platform and heel, it really isn't the same shoe.
That's the ONLY reason YSL's Tribute shoes are hot. Perfect shoe that towers above the rest.

And I don't think their sandal design is unique. AT ALL. Again, just has the high platform and high heel.

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3

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:29PM

My Tributes are one of the comfiest heels I own. They def. require light "ball of foot" insoles, but I can rock them all night without wanting to hack of my foot :)

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4

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:30PM

these look nothing like the tribs!! lol. similar sandal style, but not even remotely the same. have you seen the steve madden blatant knock off?

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5

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:59PM

Um, the Pollini's are just regular platform sandals that look NOTHING LIKE the YSLs. Wood platforms with straps have been around for ages. I have a pair of my mom's from the 70s that look more similar to the Pollini's than the YSLs.

You guys always seem so desperate to find some sort of outrage that I think you really stretch it on these.

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6

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:59PM

Um, the Pollinis are just regular platform sandals that look NOTHING LIKE the YSLs. Wood platforms with straps have been around for ages. I have a pair of my mom's from the 70s that look more similar to the Pollinis than the YSLs.

You guys always seem so desperate to find some sort of outrage that I think you really stretch it on these.

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7

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 1:59PM

number 1 just won best comment for the day

8

posted by darcykins

Jun 10, 2009 2:06PM

to everyone saying they look nothing alike: look at the toe straps, they are almost identical.

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9

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 2:17PM

yeah but can it be called a similar shoe if the heels are completely different?

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10

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 2:38PM

There are DEFINITELY way better knock offs for WAY less... say under $50! But these YSL Tributes are my favorite. I never liked the T-strap until I saw these. Instant love at first sight!

$40: http://www.myspringshoes.com/us/women/sandals/dress/73514993-rigel Can't go wrong with these!

$$$$: http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/category/blog/blog-celebrities/olivia-palermo/?x=24&y=17

My dear Olivia and I share the same favorite shoe!

http://fbetc.blogspot.com/

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11

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 4:24PM

The weaving of the toe straps is similar, but it's a bit of a stretch to say it's "almost exactly replicated". The shape of the circle/oval, the way it is woven, and the width of the straps/spaces are all pretty different.

I don't know how you can say the ankle straps and the platforms are almost identical, except for the fact that they both have ankle straps and a platform. The shape, proportion, and design of the ankle straps and the platforms are completely different.

In fact, I would say these two shoes are a perfect example of similar styles of shoes that would have absolutely no real infringement, even under the strictest proposals for protection of fashion-related intellectual property.

12

posted by Pretty Young Thing

Jun 10, 2009 5:02PM

Both pairs being sandal heels with slightly similar straps doesn't make them identical or even copyright fight-worthy. These shoes don't even look anything like each other in the first place. Just because someone makes a chunky platform sandal with an ankle strap doesn't mean it's trying to be the Trib.

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13

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 5:30PM

do you guys make your graphics in microsoft paint?

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14

posted by guest

Jun 10, 2009 9:14PM

Poor Yves.

15

posted by austinsamuel

Jun 11, 2009 5:08AM

Uhh #7 I don't recall handing over "best comment" award duty to you, rudeeeeeeee

16

posted by bastylefilegirl

Jun 11, 2009 10:16AM

These two shoes don't look that much alike. The ankle strap, open toe, and platform is all it has in common but so does about 1000 other shoes. The heel is clearly diffrent even the front of the shoe is diffrent, not to mention the heel/platform of the Pollini shoe doesn't match the shoes leather. This may not even be an inspiration!

17

posted by deathofadame

Jun 15, 2009 2:57PM

I've seen several shoes that look exactly the same as the YSL shoe. Bakers was selling a version for about $70/80.00

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