Designer inspired shoes

17 October, 2011

Good morning dear readers. How is everyone?

When smaller brands draw inspiration from big designer brands, this is what happens.

Sources of photos: here, here, here and here
Click on the images to enlarge

We end up with lots of similar shoes, most of which are being referred to, as knock-offs. This is just a small example.

In the case of YSL’s Tribtoos, many brands tried to imitate them. We can see similarities on the shape and the heels of the shoes from brands like Kelsi Dagger, Pour La Victoire, and most recently from the greek brand Tsakiris Mallas. The latter is the one we think that drew the most inspiration out of the YSLs.

And the inspiration continued to this season’s YSLs. Sources of photos: here and here

The shape is identical and the toe caps, is the new addition to this season’s YSL Tribtoos. Coincidence?

Another example, where the inspiration is obvious but there are some differences between the shoes is this one:

Sources of photos: here, here and here

Zara was the first to take inspiration from Charlotte Olympia’s Dolly pumps, making their shoes peep-toes, but Tsakiris Mallas soon followed the same path. And even though on their blog they stated that they drew inspiration from Balenciaga, I can definitely see the resemblance to Charlotte Olympia’s pumps. It may be the characteristic platform, or the pointed toe, but I can see it.

Moving on, to another inspired pair by the same greek brand: Tsakiris Mallas.

Sources of photos: here, here, here and here.

Here the similarity is, the basic idea of the Christian Louboutin shoe, while using other colors and materials.

Last but not least we have one of my favourite pairs of shoes which once again inspired the creation of one of Tsakiris Mallas’ own pair.

Sources of photos: here and here.

Do you remember these? It’s not the first time I featured them on my blog. In fact I did it 3 times (here, here and here). I bought Tsakiris Mallas’ version of Brian Atwood’s Drama pumps last December (You haven’t seen them in one of my outfits yet), but the model was successful and continued in S/S 2011 too. This season, they changed the heel for a more chunky one, and it seems that the color is more rose than beige (as the last model was), but it’s basically the same shoe.

EDIT 21/10/11: It seems that I wasn’t aware of the Christian Louboutin Marissa studded boots. Now that I am, I want to show you one more inspired pair by the same brand:

Almost identical. Don’t you think?

So what do you think about all these designer inspired shoes? Are you a fan of them, or do you consider them as knock offs? For me it’s a little bit of both. At first I was angry that the similarities were so obvious, but the prices were much lower, so that was a good alternative to the real deal. However, I think that shoes which are so obviously inspired by big designer brands shouldn’t be sold for more than 100€, and most of these, are somewhere between 149-159€ in my country, which is too much for the quality they offer.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Please stay tuned for more lovely posts, and don’t forget to follow! 😉

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43 comments on “Designer inspired shoes

  1. Well done! I loved to see all the shoes that were produced after the designer’s ones! In fact, I like the YSL’s very much, but I did like the others as well! And I think that by “copying” shoes the high street brands allow many women to wear something they could only dream of – well, they will still dream of the YSL’s, but at least they can wear something that reminds them of the “super great ones”…
    I don’t think Tsakiris Mallas is less of a great brand than any other – since the first time I saw the TM’s shoes (on your blog, of course!) I simply loved them! And now you showed these amazing shoes with the chunkier heel, I have to make sure I get a pair! (Mmhh… planning a trip would be great for that!) They are amaaaaazing! The brogue detail, the not so chunky heel but still, not stiletto ( I really like it!), the colors, it’s amazing!
    And to tell you the truth, I prefer that pair of shoes by Tsakiris Mallas than the Atwood’s ones (it’s a sin, but I really did!)
    Great that you showed that lovely pair here! It challenges me to go to Salonica one day, to visit the – I guess it is – fantastic store! (and to spend a bit! Can you believe a friend told me yesterday “you can’t leave the UK, the place will lose its economic power if you go!” It was funny, she meant that I like shopping!)
    Filakia polla!
    Denise recently posted..London, Oct 14 and 15, 2011My Profile

    • Thank you Denise! I loved all of the designer’s shoes I showed you, and I must confess that many of the inspired ones are also quite good, but the quality is really what makes the difference.
      Tsakiris Mallas is one of the oldest brands in Greece, my mother used to wear their shoes, and she said to me that the quality was much better those days. Something that I noticed too. Not only they are more inspired by designer brands for their new models, but their quality has also fallen. However, they still make some really nice shoes, but they are a bit expensive in the prices I told in my post. You should definitely come to Salonica for some shopping. If you like those you would love our stores and markets. hehe 🙂 Of course, I’ll be your guide.
      hehe I don’t know if you shop that much that UK will lose its economic power if you leave…hehe I guess they can tell the same about me and some stores in Thessaloniki…I’m shopaholic. What can I do? 😛
      Filakia polla Denise mou!

  2. bravo s!auto t post einai teleio!!!
    xairomai pl p anadeiknieis tis antigrafes t emporiou.
    vevaia auto dn einai aparaithtws kako gia osus dn diathetoun thn oikonomiki anesh!tolmw n pw oti h antigrafh t malla apo ton atwood einai pl kalh,tha thn agoraza!haha.
    Despina recently posted..My Mulberry NightsMy Profile

    • S’euxaristw poli Despina! Xairomai pou sou arese.
      Sigoura den einai kako, apla einai ekneuristiko merikes fores, eidika otan pwlountai se exwfrenikes times, les kai einai diko tous to sxedio…Gi’auto kai lew oti den thewrw oti tha eprepe na plirwnoume panw apo 100euro gia tis antigrafes…
      Egw agorasa to persino montelo pou itane sxedon oloidio me tou Atwood me to lepto takouni, alla vrika oti gia ta 149 eurw pou plirwsa gi auto eixe para polles ateleies, kai den itane kalo poiotika…Proxeirodouleia, se poli akrivi timi….Twra apo ti fwtografia tou fetinou montelou fainetai ontws na veltiwsan to kainourgio montelo, alla tha prepei na to dw apo konta gia na krinw…An den eixa parei to persino mporei na to skeftomouna auto giati mou aresei perissotero auto to xrwma…

  3. This is an interesting post, I think inspired shoes are inevitable M, not everyone can afford $800 shoes and there is a huge market for ones that cost less. I think if I could afford expensive designer shoes I would still buy the cheaper ones because I can buy more.. great for shoe addicts huh?? Here in Australia we do not have Tsakiris Mallas but the equivalent would be Wittner or Nine West that always do designer-inspired versions!
    Steph recently posted..Art and AboutMy Profile

    • Of course not everyone can afford expensive shoes, but it’s so frustrating when you see a designer’s model being copied so much. Some people however can afford to pay the full price and it’s unfair to them to have others wear almost the exact same model that they paid so much money to have. We have Nine West too here, and I have seen many designer inspired shoes, you’re right. Tsakiris Mallas is a greek brand, and has stores only in Greece and NY.

  4. Yeah, it’s kind a not fair that designers ideas have been stolen and sometimes imitated so poor. I can imagine how terrible feel those designers who see those knock offs. But on the other hand I think it’s great that someone can afford just those pretty shoes even if they are YSL look alike. I buy shoes because I like them and they are comfy, I don’t chase knock offs, but I would love to own some real thing 🙂

    xoxo Ra
    Ramona recently posted..LAYERINGMy Profile

    • I agree with you Ramona! I’d rather have the real deal, but some times we can’t all afford it. So we buy the look alike shoes, so the cheaper brands keep making them. It’s a cicle.

  5. oraio post! symfono apolyta mazi sou… oi antigrafes nai men einai mia kali enallaktiki gia aytous pou den mporoun na diathesoun mia mikri periousia gia na apoktisoun ta gnosta labels alla apo tin alli tha eprepe na einai pio reasonable to pricing. Oso gia tis teleytaies, e, metaksy mas tis skeftomoun ki ego 😉
    filia!
    christina recently posted..London day 1My Profile

  6. Πολύ καλή η ιδέα της σύγκρισης! Κοίτα πιστεύω ότι οι local σχεδιαστές εμπνεόνται πάντα από τους μεγάλους οίκους και δεν είναι κακό! Το άσχημο είναι να αγοράζουν τις ρεπλίκες επώνυμων οίκων παραμυθιάζοντας τους εαυτούς τους!! Όμορφη ανάρτηση! Καλή συνέχεια!
    Μοντέρνα Σταχτοπούτα recently posted..Νύχια: Αποτύπωσε στα Νύχια σου υπέροχα Σχέδια από Χαρτοπετσέτα!My Profile

  7. auto me thn adigrafh sthn ellada to exoume polu…exw paradigmata kai gia alles etaireies (inside scoop) alla den einai ths paroushs.
    to mono parigoro einai oti h ektelesh tous einai arketa kalh opote tous sugxoro. epishs den adegrapsan polu xtipita modela. tis fou3 as poume goves 8a tis agoraza.
    veronica recently posted..Style inspiration : mustardMy Profile

    • Nai ontws to exoume poli Veronica mou! Eimaste poli mprosta s’auto..den mas to’xa.
      Egw pali den thewrw oti i ektelesi einai kali, mias kai ta ilika den einai katholou poiotika, kai to kako rapsimo fainetai…Oi foux einai ontws kales sigritika me tis alles dio tis seiras, alla einai sxedon pisto antigrafo twn YSL. Kai to Tribtoo, einai ap’ta pio gnwsta montela tis etaireias…mazi me ta Tribute sandals.

    • Tha simfwnisw kai me sena marissa! Oi antigrafes einai asximo pragma, gia kapoion sxediasti…Vevaia ap’oti fainetai oi perissoteroi diafwnoun.
      To empneusi to leme, gia na min poume to akompso antigrafi, giati sinithws auto kanoun kai as min anaferetai…Distixws ap’oti exw psaxei, den iparxei copyright pou sou exasfalizei to sxedio tou papoutsiou, wste na min sto antigrapsei kaneis…

  8. χθες είχα πάει στο Zara και είδα ενα ζευγάρι γκρι σουέντ γόβες με “μεταλλικό” τακούνι (δεν ήταν ντυμένο δηλαδή), οι οποίες θύμιζαν πολύ τις YSL Tribtoo όσον αφορά την κρυμμένη πλατφόρμα και σκέφτηκα το post σου. Η αλήθεια είναι ότι τα συγκεκριμένα παπούτσια του YSL επηρέασαν πολλούς σαν τεχνοτροπία (γιατί πλατφόρμες φτιάχνανε και πριν, απλά ξεχώριζαν από το υπόλοιπο παπούτσι!
    Όλα τα άλλα ναι, μπορείς να πεις ότι είναι knock offs και κάποια που έχει τα χρήματα δεν έχει νόημα να αγοράσει τις απομιμήσεις. Όσο για τις υπόλοιπες, υπάρχει η κατηγορία αυτών που συνειδητά θα αγοράσει την έκδοση του Τσακίρη Μαλλά (και ναι συμφωνώ ότι η τιμή είναι πολύ υψηλότερη από αυτό που αξίζουν, αλλά συμβαίνει σε πολλά προϊόντα αυτο…) και υπάρχει και η κατηγορία των γυναικών που θα αγοράσει την έκδοση του Τσακίρη Μαλλά επειδή της αρέσει, χωρίς καν να γνωρίζει την ύπαρξη των Tribtoo ή του Brian Atwood!!
    Anna recently posted..Elena Syraka Jewelry @ ShopMy Profile

    • Katalava poies goves les, mou aresan poli kai tis eixa stin wishlist tou oktwvriou! Wraia forma exoune k ekeines, alla den mou moiazoune me tis YSL Tribtoo. Sigoura omws i forma tous thimizei papoutsi allou sxediasti…
      Sigoura i krifi platforma epirease pollous, alla den kserw an ksekinise ap’tis Tribtoo.
      Oso gia tis katigories pou eipes, tha simfwnisw oti iparxoune autes oi treis. Den lew oti kai egw den agorazw, kai to exw apodeixei allwste, alla parallila thimwnw me autous pou to klepsane kai ton eauto mou pou par’ola auta tis agorasa.

  9. although i prefer the real deal, i don’t mind “inspired” items. especially if the item is trendy, it’s nice to have an affordable alternative. people can choose to buy them or not, right?

    [oomph.]

  10. Poli kalo post! Tha ithela na prosthesw oti genika oi taseis kathe fora epivalloun na iparxoun stin agora sigkekrimena sximata kai formes kalapodiwn kai antistoixa takouniwn kai platformwn. Gi’ auto kai vlepoume toses omoiotites se formes kai xrwmata. Otan omws prokeitai gia kathari antigrafi opws se kapoia apo ta parapanw paradeigmata, tote to authentiko sigoura iperexei se poiotita dermatos, rafis kai anatomias sto podi. xxx

    • S’euxaristw poli gia to sxolio sou! Auto einai kati pou den to gnwriza, kai xairomai pou me enimerwses. Ap’oti eida eiste sxediastes papoutsiwn, opote ta kserete auta apo prwto xeri!
      Simfwnw mazi sou oti to authentiko iperexei panta se auta!
      Tha perasw sintoma apo to blog sas, eimai ligo piesmeni teleutaia me to xrono mou!

  11. eimaste mellontikes sxediastries papoutsiwn 🙂 akoma ki emeis mathainoume alla genika ap’ oti exoume dei stin elliniki agora oi promitheytes kalapodiwn kai ta loipa sxetika gia tin kataskeyi twn papoutsiwn fernoun i kataskeuazoyn sigkekrimena kaloupia. Auto vevaia, allazei stin periptwsi poy sai megalos oikos kai epivlepeis katheta kai orizontia oli ti diadikasia tis paragwgis. filakia
    shoelazzo recently posted..SO SORRY NICHOLAS!My Profile

    • Xairomai na mathainw kainourgia pragmata! Kai eidika gia enan klado pou mou aresei toso poli! Makari na mporousa kai egw na sxediasw papoutsia! Ta agapw poli…Isws sto mellon na kataferw na asxolithw…pote den ksereis… 🙂
      Tha ta poume sintoma! Filakia!

  12. Pingback: New in: Sandals | Do You Speak Gossip?

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