Counterfeit Christian Louboutins
posted by: HerberWellss in Dolce Vita, General, Harajuku Lovers, High heels, Just for Kicks, Mary Janes, Platforms, Pumps, Shoe Advice, Steve Madden Shoes on June 5th, 2009
Lately, all over the internet, on sites that strive for a good, honest reputation (Luxist and ShoeBlog included) banner ads for shoe sites such as LouboutinMall, LouboutinBox, and other Louboutin url derivatives have been popping up advertising “genuine Christian Louboutin pumps for only $150″. There has been a fair amount of discussion about these sites, including why the advertisements are showing up (for ShoeBlog, we rely on an advertisement network to serve up ads to pay for our costs and have little control on that gets added. We try to take down spammy ads but sometimes, to our chagrin, they pop up faster than we can remove them). The main question all of us have wondered is, are these sites selling authentic Louboutins?
Christian Louboutin as a company is not a publicly traded. So, Mr. Louboutin has full control over the product, marketing, and quality.He graciously turns down investors on a regular basis instead, focusing on sustainable profit, design, craftsmanship and his customer of which he has many loyal. He does not want to answer to investors; he has the luxury of serving his loyal customers, employees and complete design control.
Now, if he has turned investors down regularly because he wants quality control, WHY in the world would he flood the market, charging wholesalers $75, or even $100 for handcrafted high quality shoes? (Remember, wholesalers typically double their cost). We all know these are fakes. Pure and simple. I am not going to go into the moral aspects of the conditions in which these fakes are manufactured. My issue is quality of your purchase.
Twenty four years ago my husband purchased a Louis Vuitton handbag after the birth of one of my boys.
It cost about $600. It seemed like a fortune to a young mother. I have used the hell out of that bag. It was a diaper bag for 3 children, it was a weekender bag, it is now a carry-on bag when I travel. It has aged reasonably well. Why? It was made with real leather and superior craftmanship and it still looks wonderful. Ten years ago I bought a Louis Vuitton fake for $40. It looked good for about 2 weeks. My granddaughter now plays with it in her dress-up box. When I buy something I always figure, “It takes me X days to pay for this, is it worth it?” So, is it worth 3 or 4 days worth of work to pay for something that will last six months at best? Will you have this fake 20 years later? You will have the real deal 40 years later
Do you want a platform pump for about $150?
Dolce Vida Madison Steve Madden Slique
A maryjane?
Carlos Infinity Harajuku Lovers Infinity
Triple platform?
Steve Madden Triplet Enzo Angiolini
Are these exactly like Louboutin shoes. Of course not. Are they quality shoes? I think so. Are they counterfeit? No. I think the most touching posts I have read is by Islingback in ShoeBlog’s forums. After hard financial times, she was able to buy a pair of desinger shoes. Would she be as thrilled with a fake? I don’t think so.
We want Louboutins because he has spent time, energy and money to make a shoe and a reputation as the best. With a fake you will get neither, except pictures which have clearly been stolen from Neiman Marcus, Saks, and Ebay of authentic Louboutins. As consumers, let’s be responsible with whom and how our money is spent. I learned my lesson ten years ago. It cost me $40.
Update: From NYMag, here’s more confirmation from a Louboutin spokeswoman that the shoes are fake and also responses from the counterfeit sites confirming as well.
16 Comments
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March 25, 2013 at 3:43 am, christian louboutin sale said:
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April 28, 2010 at 8:47 pm, Sophie said:
You can now check http://stopfake.christianlouboutin.com (and the english version is available here : http://www.stopfakelouboutin.com/index.php/en)
It's a really helpful site about Christian Louboutin's policy on counterfeit.
April 24, 2010 at 3:18 pm, Puffy said:
I wanted to make a point about Christian Louboutin shoes that doesn't often get made. People mock, gripe and complain about the $600+ price tag (the average CL for a pair is actually somewhere around $1,100) and how foolish we are to buy shoes that probably cost $30 to make including material and labour. This is simply not true. The materials used for the shoes, especially the leather are of the highest possible quality. Think about the difference in leather used to make steel toed workboots and the buttery soft leather used to create the finest gloves and you'll have a better understanding. The shoes are all handmade, not by a bunch of robots or on an assembly line. They are each made lovingly by hand. This includes embellishments such as beadwork, application of feathers etc, all done by artisans by hand. Not children in sweatshops, or in third world countries. Naturally Mr. Louboutin is interested in making a profit too. This is how you end up with a price tag averaging $1,100. Astonishingly, the shoes with 4" + heels are even comfortable. Not all day, walking around on concrete comfortable, but easily worn for a lovely evening about town.
January 30, 2010 at 4:31 am, sneakerfreak said:
its not rite at all
November 20, 2009 at 2:59 pm, galligator said:
Another resource (since our forums are still quite small) is TPF’s Louboutin sub-forum. The ladies there are nice and very helpful in helping to authenticate auctions so that you don’t get burned by paying $$$ for what could turn out to be a fake:
http://forum.purseblog.com/christian-louboutin-shoes/
November 08, 2009 at 1:14 pm, galligator said:
Forums with more detail:
http://www.shoeblog.com/forums/designer-couture-s…
http://www.shoeblog.com/forums/designer-couture-s…
Hope that helps.
November 07, 2009 at 11:09 am, galligator said:
There are several threads in our forums that go into greater detail on this – if you want specific advise, that is a great place to start.
November 07, 2009 at 5:34 am, tanya said:
you still didnt post how to spot fake christian louboutins thats all im interested in. I think ive seen a pair before but im not sure
September 14, 2009 at 1:18 pm, bowel cleanse said:
I would prefer a legal inspired style over a fake…for many reasons
June 07, 2009 at 2:33 pm, discount shoes said:
of course shoes at that price are going to be fake . I do not know why anyone would want to buy fake shoes. I mean you are basically buying a 50 dollars shoe for 150 dollars . uggh people really got to think
June 07, 2009 at 9:19 am, Furkidsmom said:
I would never feel comfortable with a fake. I tried a fake bag once…got rid of it right away. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks – I know it’s fake!
June 05, 2009 at 4:14 pm, galligator said:
Speaking of fakes, Luxaholics did an article on today on fake Christian Louboutin's & how to spot them.
http://www.luxaholics.com/style/shoes/spot_the_fa…
June 05, 2009 at 10:43 am, r5bales said:
To be quite frank, I don't have to take what I can get. I don't think this ecomonic correction is a legitimate reason for purchasing counterfeits. Just as I have shown, alternatives are available. If you like the designs that CL has developed, then save up and buy the real deal. Just because knockoffs are everywhere doesn't make them legitimate.
June 05, 2009 at 7:13 am, Rai said:
In this day and ecomomy. You have to take what you can get and I have to be honest. I really like these designs and wouldn't really fell guilty buying them. Also being born in NYC, knock off's are just another peice in the closet.
June 05, 2009 at 6:29 am, galligator said:
One thing I have learned is that I would prefer a legal inspired style over a fake…for many reasons. But, you may never convince those who think that by buying fakes they are somehow smarter than those who will pay the higher dollar of this position. The main reason that I don't like fakes because illegal use of trademark is theft (of intellectual property), pure and simple. The fact that there are often criminal networks involved in production and distribution just makes this worse to me. But, thank you for putting the word out. Some people will not have know the legal and quality issues…and this at least allows them to begin making a more informed choice and to perhaps investigate the counterfeit trade on their own so that they will no knowingly get burned. There are a lot of people who think their $125 Louboutins are real…isn't that also a terrible thing for a seller to do to a buyer?