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Adventures in Copyright Aug 10, 2009 @ 12:15pm

Adventures in Copyright: Free People’s Sticky Fingers

Remember when Kate Bosworth wore those red Chloé ankle boots? We couldn’t stop staring at her feet, and then couldn’t stop thinking about them for weeks.

Someone over at Free People has them on their mind also, where a reader spotted this Chloé clone.

Free People’s version is about a thousand dollars cheaper than Chloé’s, and while some will always claim that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this new boot is just a cheap looking version of the original. Of course, we don’t expect them to be able to recreate that same spunk, but even if they did, it still wouldn’t be right.

—AMANDA JEAN BOYLE

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Fashionista Main

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 12:47PM

don't blame FP, those are jeffrey campbell!

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 12:49PM

I loved those Chloe boots! Sadly, they only had the white ones left during last season's Barneys sale. I don't like the taller heel on the FP version.

Curious as to what you ladies at Fashionista think about this: http://fringeoffashion.blogspot.com/2009/08/perplexed.html

Proenza Schouler seems to have their own adventures in copyright. We read about how Steve Madden, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, or H & M knock off designers. But what happens when higher end brands knock off lower end brands?

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 1:00PM

The heel on the knockoff is hideous. And they are a little late on the take here.

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 1:22PM

Free People might be selling them, but those knock-offs are definitely Jeffery Campbell.

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 1:42PM

from the front they look pretty good, but the jeffrey campbell ones i recall have a really ugly triangle-ish low heel in the back

posted by Jean Voltaire

Aug 10, 2009 2:15PM

I don't like either.

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 2:22PM

TOPSHOP http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=true&catalogId=19551&storeId=12556&categoryId=175034&parent_category_rn=175013&productId=1043526&langId=-1

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 2:51PM

number two, it doesnt happen. that was just a coincidence. high end people are all upstanding citizens and would never, ever copy another designers work!

(sarcasm dripping, in case you couldnt tell.)

posted by deathofadame

Aug 10, 2009 3:58PM

LOLOLOL. That's so sad it's funny,.

http://vinesteet.blogspot.com/

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 5:18PM

ooo,
will fashionista be writing an "adventures in copyright" for those PS boots, because if they don't, it will be mean that lower-priced lines should be grateful to high end people for ripping them off. And they don't, well, darlings, those snarky comments levelled at you guys will seem true, no?

Stranger, PS took f21 to court recently, should we alert the makers of those boots?

posted by guest

Aug 10, 2009 6:24PM

This blog covered that, and other JC knockoffs yesterday:
http://thegreyestghost.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/jeffrey-campbell-does-chloe/

posted by RashomonRebel

Aug 10, 2009 6:29PM

lol, my friend just got those knock-offs.

posted by rachael

Aug 10, 2009 9:05PM

not loving either.

posted by Reenie

Aug 10, 2009 9:56PM

i hate when people do knockoffs and add "gold" hardware. Why don't they just write "look at me! i'm a cheap piece of crap!"?

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 2:07AM

It seems they also have the Ann Demeulemeester lace-up boots SS09, also jeffrey campbell. In all fairness the chloe knock-off are a bad imitation, but the Ann Demeulemeester are.... well let's just say that if the Chloe's are flattery, than these are tribute.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 7:24AM

Hello,
Seen this, it's by Swedish chain Scorett:
http://caroline.feber.se/art/161776/i_die/

But to be hard on Scorett/Free People/Topshop is just silly - don't you know that Chloé just copied the boots from a pair of vintage one's??
I have a pair excatly like them and they are from the 80s. Even the pattern is the same.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 11:14AM

interesting article BUT as Free People did these first, they hardly copied Chloe...try the other way around...honestly until Chloe gets their rotating guest designer act together they aren't really relevant.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 11:30AM

wha?? chloe copied free people? i would love to see the proof, if you have it. ditto to number 16. seriously, send in the photo to fashionista so they can do an adventures in copyrights post on it.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 12:49PM

Guys, they're clearly all ripoffs of Madonna's sparkly boots in Desperately Seeking Susan.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 1:32PM

I don't think the Free People shoes look so bad....

posted by darcykins

Aug 11, 2009 1:52PM

yes, guest 19, you hit the nail on the head! thanks.

posted by guest

Aug 11, 2009 3:24PM

In case anyone forgets, we're in a recession right now...everyone has to make money somehow

posted by guest

Aug 12, 2009 9:55AM

As Free People had the same shoe at Urban Outfitters last 2008 summer I'm confused how Chloe was copied?! It seems to be the other way around.

posted by guest

Aug 30, 2009 1:00PM

I can hardly believe my eyes reading some of the snobbery radiating from the comments above. I mean, come on. Is your life so desperately pathetic and meaningless that you are going to ridicule someone because they cannot afford to pay over one thousand dollars for one crappy looking pair of shoes and thus, have to resort to wearing a knock off? Oh, that is suuuuuuch a travesty! Seriously, your life must be tough if you have to see that in person. How humiliating for them!

Get a life.

posted by guest

Oct 14, 2009 7:43PM

#24....I totally agree! This is what I have to say, WHO CARES! Seriously people. I bet most of the people who buy the Jeffrey Campbell shoes have no idea they're supposedly knock-offs anyways. What is original anymore anyways? Everyone is knocking off everyone else. Finally, just because something is ridiculously expensive, what makes it original? To #16, the shoes DO look 80s, and I'm sure the "original" Chloe ones are knock-offs of some 80s pair of shoes.

I think these "Adventures in Copyright" posts are stupid, who care's what label your clothes are, and if you're wearing a knock-off, rock it! You're smarter than the person who spent over a grand on basically the same thing that will probably go out of style next season anyways, so it doesn't even matter if the quality of the knock-off isn't as good as the original.