Balenciaga Sues Steve Madden Over 'LEGO' Heels
Balenciaga's 'LEGO' heel (left) vs. Steve Madden's multicolored buckle heel (right). Photo: www.heels.com
After being sued by Alexander McQueen earlier this year, the trendy mass shoemaker is now facing a copyright infringement suit over Balenciaga's "LEGO" heels, reports Cityfile.
The French luxury house slapped Madden with the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Eastern New York.
According to the court documents, soon after Balenciaga's multicolored peep-toe heels from the Fall 2007 collection were released, Steve Madden issued its own (more affordable) look-alike version, says the source.
As part of its courtroom argument, Balenciaga points to Madden's alleged shady past: "Defendant Steve Madden's reputation for producing knock-offs of full price luxury designs further corroborates Defendant's deliberate pattern of willful infringement and unfair competition."
While, we're all for wallet-friendly fashion, has Madden gone too far with this runway replica?
How do you feel about lower-priced labels taking inspiration directly from high-end designers? Leave a comment!
Lawsuits have clearly been in style this year. Check out other fashionable courtroom dramas of 2009.
Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News
Tags: Balenciaga, copyright infringement, Fashion Lawsuits, heels, Shoes, Steve Madden, SteveMadden
Tags: Balenciaga, copyright infringement, Fashion Lawsuits, heels, Shoes, Steve Madden, SteveMadden
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Gail, 12-21-2009, 3:03PM
I don't think Steve Madden making a replica of the shoe is a big deal. Even though the shoes look "similar" you can clearly point out the differences. Besides, real Balenciaga shoppers will continue to buy the original. It's like my fascination with Target. Yeah, I know I can find the same thing at Wal-mart much cheaper, but I prefer the ambience of Target.
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