I saw my first Louboutin fake this week

[TheShoeGuru]

A customer of mine can into the store and told me a story about how her boyfriend bought some shoes for her online. She told me she didn't think they were real. Once she pulled out the box, I knew before I ever saw the shoes that they were fake. The logo on the box, shoe and dust cover looked authentic. However; the box was covered with a plastic looking paper and had a finger hole on the side. The shoe box had no shoe name just a number and size. The dust cover was an orange faux silk instead of a red cotton, but the shoe itself was the real problem. The leather was cheap looking and the heel counter looked like it had been stepped on and flattened. The peep toe opening was obviously not a Louboutin design, but it did have the red sole and Christian Louboutin stamp on the sole. It was a poor fake, but I bet if it was truely bought online I'm sure the picture looked like a real one. I felt bad for here. She wanted to know how to tell her boyfriend, all my associates had advise for her, but I just told her to give him a few drinks and tell him the truth. I was shocked to see a fake, I've never seen a Louboutin fake before. wow

[laureenthemean]

Ebay is full of Louboutin fakes, especially the UK one.

[Tammy Valentino]

I heard some where that 80% of ebay items are fake.

[laureenthemean]

I would say that on ebay.com, less than 10% of Louboutins listed are fake.

[bladerunner]

interesting..i have bought loub's twice and they are the real deal

[galligator]

***Says the person who has beem spamming counterfeits.

[mjnoles1]

I could spot them a mile away lol

[khye]

Are these shoes expensive?

[lorihmatthews]

Are these shoes expensive?

That's a very subjective question ... but if you think that shoes that retail for well over $500 (low end) are expensive you've got your answer.

However, there are some VERY lucky people who in the past few weeks got many of these shoes at 70% off at the Saks sale.

I managed to get my first 2 pair for 40% off at the NM sale. Personally, though, I try to buy everything on sale, not just shoes.

[galligator]

I also try to get everything on sale. I know how high most retail markups are & am usually willing to wait & see if something goes on sale.

So far, I have few 'premium' designer shoes. That is both because the cost is often (to my budget & somewhat per my upbringing) frivolous. But that is me. I have managed a handful of wonderful shoes from Prada, Bruna Magli, Anyi Lu, Nanette Lepore, Mark Jacobs & Mark Nason for a fraction of their original prices. In all of these cases, I loved a unique style and got a good sale price. I definitely flinch when the numbers move over the $500 mark & rarely am willing to put more than $250 out of pocket for any single pair of shoes, no matter who the designer is.

I even walked away from a Louboutin sandal on sale at Joseph's last year when it was $230 - I didn't LOVE it & so even the bargain price for a CL didn't tempt me since I won't buy a sale item *just* for a brand name/desighner, but am looking at the overall value that I am getting from each purchase.

My shopping is actually in a lower phase right now since I have a good selection of colors and styles & have fewer 'voids' in my collection.