Steve Madden Was Just Accused of a Major Designer Ripoff
By Macaela Mackenzie. Photos: Getty Images.
Steve Madden — king of creating and then reviving our favorite ‘90s shoe trends — is in serious hot water this week after Valentino accused the brand of ripping off one of their purses, filing a lawsuit for a fashion rights showdown.
According to a report from WWD, the luxury brand claims Steve Madden dropped a tote with a look “strikingly similar” to a patterned bag from Valentino’s “Rockstud” collection (kind of like the one pictured above). The house filed a suit with a federal court in Georgia last Friday accusing Steve Madden of copying both its double purse design and the design for an optional embroidered butterfly accent strap (both of which Valentino owns the copyrights for).
Blatant copying is a clear no-no, whether you’re a major designer or college student struggling through finals. The problem is that while copying a classmate’s paper or ripping off a colleague’s presentation at work is pretty obvious, copies in the world of fashion aren’t always so black and white. If a fast-fashion brand drops a dress nearly identical to one released by a designer brand a few months earlier, it’s pretty clear. But if two designers send studded platform sandals down the runway, is that a sign of copyright infringement or that both designers were feeling particularly badass that season? Steve Madden is actually in the midst of another lawsuit that falls into the latter category, according to WWD. In that case, the shoe designer is being accused of copying a Dr. Martens lace up boot, but the brand is arguing that you can’t have a monopoly on a shoe design that common.
In the case of Valentino v. Steve Madden, the copy case seems pretty clear — the similarities between the two totes are obvious. Aside from the color, the bags are almost identical. Steve’s version clearly borrowed Valentino’s signature studs (which, admittedly, is harder to argue ownership of since studded bags have been around for.ev.er.), but beyond that, both bags have the same asymmetrical patterned stripe running down the center complete with colorful accent stones. Even the butterfly accent strap is an almost perfect dupe.
The only real difference? Valentino’s version retails for between $2,500 and $3,500 (the strap alone will run you over a G) while Steve Madden’s version is under $150. Valentino is reportedly seeking damages and any profits from Steve Madden’s sales of the bag. Given the pretty obvious similarities, it looks like snagging high-end designer style on the cheap will come at a big price for Madden.
This story originally appeared on Allure.
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