Adventures in Copyright Oct 16, 2009 @ 10:13am

Adventures in Copyright: Give(nchy) Me Studs

by Kate Kaunitz

This studded Givenchy sandal is everywhere, like super perfect sexy things often are.

We’ve spotted it on Garance ‘s blog. It’s popped up on Tommy Ton’s Style slideshows, too. And on our own feet of course, in our dreams.

It’s in Aldo’s dreams, too. The only difference is they have a shoe factory and the ability to make it for insanely less money and sell it to the masses. Their copy has less studs, and a smaller t-strap. They’ve also named it some something decidedly French: Guerrette. Guerrette’s like the ugly step-sister; she can’t compare to her gorgeous older, more vibrant sister, and she never will.

It’s like Givenchy made the perfect heel and Aldo broke it. And they do say not to fix it if it’s not broke.

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posted by meh

Oct 16, 2009 11:12AM

meh, looks tacky either way, like something from Bebe of some store on Broadway circa three years ago...

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 11:28AM

They are completely different shoes. Aldo is noticeably inspired by the Givenchy shoe, and no one is going to confuse either.

And you can always turn up your nose when someone walks past you with the Aldo shoes on.

I mean, you don't know their situation, but at least you'll know they're buying a "lesser" shoe.

posted by Reenie

Oct 16, 2009 11:51AM

The aldo ones are devastating, not because they are a copy, but because they are unattractive...but whatever..at least they don't have the studs on the heels.

posted by Peter

Oct 16, 2009 11:55AM

Those look almost nothing alike. Misadventures in Copyright.

posted by mollymc18

Oct 16, 2009 12:01PM

They really do look almost nothing alike, besides the studs of course. Are studs on anything now an AIC?

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 12:52PM

YAY another The Look for Less post. you guys should do this more often!

seriously now. come oooon. studded high heeled sandals? hardly an original idea. the aldos look nothing like the givenchys. in fact, i think they look better- they don't look like some manner of marine life encrusted with barnacles.

people really need to stop worshipping givenchy IMO. their stuff isn't even that nice. like that sandal up there.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 1:51PM

eh. This is pushing it a little, I think the Aldo shoes are sufficiently different, the heel's different, there are more straps...I'd say it's more inspired than anything else. That's Aldo's job, to interpret trends seen on high fashion runways for the masses. Of course it's dishonest for them to produce exact replicas, but in this case studs, straps, zips, etc. are kind of happening right now, and the shoe is sufficiently different from the "original"

I do think that both shoes are a bit ugly, and the "bib" t-strap on the Givenchy's is unsightly.

posted by RashomonRebel

Oct 16, 2009 2:19PM

I'm not down with that but I'm down with this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2D26ipuv10

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 2:24PM

you guys *are* the masses. don't you realize that? stop pretending that your better then your readers, and stop pretending that the person who wears givenchy is better then then person who wears aldo.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 3:23PM

I think we all need to get photographs of each and every AIC writer's closet.

I am more than sure that we'll find a look for less that really was done by some luxury designer, and you'll be sacrificed to the Copyright Gods soon thereafter.

I don't understand a post like this. Where am I supposed to get this look if I like it and can't afford it?

If you're going to write these posts, please provide something that DOES fit what you think is an acceptable alternative. Because all this guilt I'm carrying is KILLING me.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 3:35PM

guest number ten has a really good point, how about an alternative to the original item.

posted by adristar

Oct 16, 2009 3:50PM

i TOTALLY second the call for pictures of the items in every fashionista writer's closet! not only do i think it could make for a really interesting piece, but it would really put into perspective this whole AIC controversy. and points for the people who want positivity rather than negativity - sure the copycat thing is interesting and provokes debate, but how about instead of constant negativity and criticism, let's try to figure out positive solutions to the problem of dressing oneself on a budget significantly lower than that which is required to wear givenchy heels and the like.

posted by Britt Aboutaleb

Oct 16, 2009 3:59PM

wait -- all you want are pictures of our clothes and shoes?

you can email us tips@fashionista.com and set up a time to send your photographer and we will post everything on the site (i speak for abby & i, but i'm sure our interns are willing).

unfortunately we have neither the time, nor interest, to do it ourselves

posted by RashomonRebel

Oct 16, 2009 4:07PM

#9, that's not the point of AIC. Also, when comparing, "than" is better than "then".

#10, would you rather have the Aldo's or the Givenchy's? Would you rather have your shoes made in China or Italy? Checking out vintage is a good alternative. Most shoes in the past are very well made and their style gets updated anyway so you still can have the look without spending a fortune.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:08PM

Britt, your attitude is heinous and you also did not address the issue at hand - if we can't afford Givenchy but like the look, what are we to do? If you're going to do an AIC on every piece of clothing or shoe that is vaguely inspired by a designer original, does that mean we're not allowed to wear anything other than jeans and white t-shirts if we can't afford Comme de Garcons? It's the snarky comments and non-answers that really downgrade the integrity of this blog and also you as a person.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:17PM

Seriously, you guys think we should not wear anything that has been influenced by anything else? Please, honestly, what SHOULD we wear then that doesn't offend you? Are you guys criticizing jeans designers who, in case you din't know, are copying that 19th-century fashion designer Levi Strauss? If not, stop being hyprocrites and elitists.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:21PM

Britt, please stop being snarky and answer our questions. You try to make us feel bad for wearing things inspired by other designers' work - if we can't afford designer, what should we do? Be losers in sweatpants who don't deserve to wear anything with any style?

posted by Abby Gardner

Oct 16, 2009 4:22PM

No one on this site has ever told you what to do with your money. We point out blatant copies when we see them. And I think Britt has been pretty upfront about what she wears and doesn't wear. As have I. We certainly don't sit around here in outfits that cost thousands of dollars every day. But, yes, we do avoid blatant rip-offs. All of you are quite free to make your own choices.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:27PM

Just because the shoes are Givenchy does not mean they don't look like Bebe-whore shoes. I'm such they're superior quality, but who cares when they are so ugly? Why do expensive slutty clothes get so much ass-kissing by fashion people? If you walked by a fetish shop and saw those in the window and had never seen the Givenchys, you'd probably laugh at the fetish-store shoe and it's sad cheesy-ness.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:31PM

Starting to wonder why I even read this blog with such snotty people working for it who really know nothing about fashion that didn't happen in the last 5 or 10 years. Anyone have a better one to recommend? I hate for my click-throughs to benefit these ignorant writers here.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:35PM

Abby, seriously, "blatant copies"? The strap down the front is 2 or 3 inches wider on the Givenchy. The Aldo has 4 straps not three. There are no studs o the heels of the Aldos. The heel shape is different. The toe opening is very different. Sure, there is an influence, I'm sure, "blatant copy" is really ridiculous overstatement on your part.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:38PM

"no one on this site has ever told you what to do with your money"

no in so many words, but itsn't that implied in these posts? you guys are constantly saying how awful these knockoff aree, so wouldn't it follow that you wouldn't want anyone to spend their money on it?
and britt is a bitch, plain and simple. i hardly ever use that word, but her comments, and posts speak for themselves.
she (and abby) just further the stereotype that all people who work in fashion are judging, label obsessed, snobs who have no common sense nor manners.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 4:39PM

The writers and editors of this blog have more contempt for their readers than any blog I've ever read. Ladies, if you don't have readers, you don't have a job, so why the nasty attitudes towards us readers? We keep you employed! Do you even realize that?

posted by adristar

Oct 16, 2009 5:04PM

yikes! anger!
i do wonder where all the contempt towards readers comes from. frustration? defensiveness? either way, it's bad manners to say the least. aren't the questions posed on these comments pages legitimate? i certainly think they deserve a sincere response - why not engage in the debate and defend your posts, or at least help readers understand them?
obviously this site, like the fashion industry, is by no means a meritocracy.

i think it's safe to say that ALL clothes are influenced by OTHER clothes, and (un)fortunately, copying the pieces made by luxury designers is the bread and butter of the budget-conscious section of the industry, making it difficult to find truly "original" pieces.

i'm really, genuinely curious as to how you would recommend readers address "trends" without straying into copyright territory.

posted by adristar

Oct 16, 2009 5:05PM

p.s. sorry about the doublepost! don't know why that happened

posted by Abby Gardner

Oct 16, 2009 5:12PM

Actually, I think I was answering a question that was asked. And the writers of this site (both during and before my time) have defended these posts more times than I can count...which yes, does lead to some degree of frustration. This is the most comprehensive breakdown of why we do them: http://fashionista.com/2008/08/adventures_in_copyrights_why_w.php

And though many of you voice opinions against them, we do have tons of readers who like them too.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 5:31PM

a ton of readers who like them? where? anytime i read the comments on these posts, the comments are almost all overwhelmingly negative.

reading through the "comprehensive breakdown" and all the comments on them, i can only come to the conclusion that these posts only work for people who love the label more then the actual article of clothing. this commenter on that post, "guest number 66" said it much better then i can.

"As plenty of other commentators have said, your arguments are weak, lazy clichés at best here - there are more hypocritical holes than in a pair of alexander wang's tights. Of course outright copyright theft is wrong and shouldn't be tolerated but there is a difference between the filtered-through effects of mass market fashion and a plastic chanel bag from some market stall. Apart from the self-righteous feel-good piety, what exactly is the message of this post - for a person who may not have the disposable income or access to purchase "authentic" designer goods - resign to wearing blah generic uniforms with no reference to any trends? scrimp, scrimp, scrimp for a teeny wardrobe of a handful of overpriced authenticity? And the supposedly more ethical brands you mention - topshop, h&m - please what a joke! a) their clothes are no more resilient than anyone else's; b) have you looked at the labels to see where they are manufactured recently? This fantasy of clean, well paid factories for these high volume manufacturers is just that - a dream.

And re- thrift/vintage - what about someone taking references from contemporary designers, eg, the lace trend, and then finding a vintage piece? isn't that taking income away from the original??
Of course, what is most annoying is that fashionista hasn't yet deigned to reply to any of these objections and justified this pretentious post in the first place."

posted by adristar

Oct 16, 2009 5:37PM

hmmm. thanks for that. i was actually quite suprised by the rationale - while i agree with pretty much every point made, i definitely do not get that impression from the AIC posts i have seen. the majority of these posts focus on major designers, that's for sure. also, i've heard a lot of whispers about these luxury goods not being as sweatshop-free as we would like to believe. what about the Chinese migrant workers in Italy working for less than minimum-wage? also, i think one of the biggest problems readers have is that the subjects of the posts are by no means "blatant knockoffs" - i think that many readers would really value it if you published your own working definition of "blatant knockoff" vs. "inspiration".

anyway i'm not calling for an end to these posts - i just wish you guys would sincerely engage in the discourse - thus allowing things to move forward - rather than just getting visibly angry and passive aggressive.

i really want to love this site!

posted by RashomonRebel

Oct 16, 2009 6:28PM

Look, I'm not trying to defend AIC and I don't find most of the articles interesting anyway but some of the previous comments are pointless and it would be a waste of time to address them so I think that's where the frustration comes from.

If you watch this and get it, you would realize why it's very important to support and buy designer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6z2TclbHlo

posted by etoilee8

Oct 16, 2009 6:51PM

Sorry guys but I like Adventures in Copyright. I think they're informative as it's always good to see where our favourite trends have originated from. Would it stop me from buying something that I wanted? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But at the same time, most of the copies are so heinous, I've never felt the urge.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 7:25PM

@24 - based on what i'm reading, it seems to be the other way around: the readers seem to have contempt for the writers. not sure why. like abby said, no one's telling you how to spend your money.

posted by guest

Oct 16, 2009 9:13PM

31,i think that alot of the readers have contempt because the writers of this blog are such snobs, even when they don't have to be. i don't know if you seen it or not, but a couple weeks ago they posted a picture of a topless model with little xs on her nipples with the comment "look someone heard your bitching!" because people were saying some of the pictures were not suitable for work.
stuff like that, they also seem to talk down to the readers, especially in aic posts. just complete immature nonsense thats really uncalled for.

posted by vickystadler

Oct 17, 2009 1:36AM

i'm in no way opposed to aic posts, but i do not think that it was necessary in this specific instance. the aldo heels are not a blatant copy, they are honestly inspired by... the only similarity is they are in the same color family and they both have studs (and different studs, at that).

but everyone needs to stop getting so huffy about it; if you think its okay to buy copies then buy them, and if you don't, then don't. fashionista is not being 'snobby' with the aic posts, they just don't agree with ripping off designers original ideas. it is not that the person who can afford the designer product is better than the person who can't, it is that it is unfair for chains to blatantly copy a designer product, just like plagiarism and other forms of taking others ideas is wrong... inspiration is not; people are inspired by art all the time and incorporate that into a new work of art. inspiration is good, it keeps things constantly evolving and moving forward.

again, however, with all that said, i do not think this match up qualifies for an aic post; it is inspiration.

posted by guest

Oct 17, 2009 11:40AM

#33, how many of these designers' original ideas are actually original? it isn't the posts themselves that are the problem, it's the way they are phrased.

posted by heh.

Oct 17, 2009 2:24PM

I came here to comment that these shoes look nothing alike. Looks like I'm tardy to the party. I understand the Steve Madden hate but these...?

posted by grammyweezy

Oct 17, 2009 6:25PM

I agree that the Aldo heels aren't exactly blatant copies. However, I want to point once more the huge difference between a designer using something that has been used before ( like "lace", which is ridiculously mentioned above) and producing a copy of another designer's idea within a relatively small time frame. It really does harm designers when their designs are copied months after they've debuted on the runway, whereas I'm pretty sure no one is losing money because somebody used lace in one of their designs.

posted by jessicaelisabeth

Oct 17, 2009 10:12PM

haha! that discussion escalated quickly! i think we all need to take a deep breath. in any case, the Givenchy shoe is delightful (love the blue), and if anyone had a more convincing interpretation (read: copy) than Aldo, i'd buy it in a heartbeat (shamelessly.)

posted by guest

Oct 18, 2009 10:20AM

i agree with 29, 31, 33. the posters here are so bitter. i don't mind the AIC posts. i don't look forward to them or anything, but i do read them when they are up. and i think britt and abby handle all of the rude comments with an exceptional amount of grace. so what if they sometimes have a sarcastic tone. there is only so much shit they can take on such a regular basis from all of you nasty commenters.

posted by guest

Oct 18, 2009 10:24PM

"Grace?". HA! Britt makes me hate reading this blog. Everything she writes is done with this "I think I'm better than you, designer or nothing" tone. Such a typical snobby fashion sterotype that makes me kind of wonder why I work in this industry with such hellish people. Even fucking Vogue and all the top publications give "designer inspired" low-price options in their pages. I don't understand why Fashionista thinks they need to blaze a trail against so-called ugly "knock-offs". The more important issue at hand is your ugly attitude.

posted by etoilee8

Oct 22, 2009 1:16AM

32 if some of the readers think the content on fashionista.com is not suitable for work, may I suggest they do THEIR WORK instead of looking at fashionista on their company's dollar? You people want to have your cake and eat the person's next to you.