MADDENED BY MADDEN!

It appears Sydney based footwear retailer Wanted Footwear have taken umbrage at the Despotic Queen’s hardline stance on knockoffs.

How does Imelda know this, Monday morning a Wanted employee cancelled her daily Feedburner subscription.

No biggie. Feedburner subscribers come and they go, however, note the humorously ironic reason given.

02: Offensive, strongly disagree or disapprove

Over the past three years I’ve had a number of subscribers 02 me. Normally, it’s in response to something trivial, like the time Yum Yum and I played Abu Ghraib with my Chanel anal beads.

Sure. Yum Yum ended up in hospital with a burnt sphincter (who knew, pepper spray and anal beads weren’t ‘good mates’). But a reason to unsubscribe, I don’t think so.

I guess as stockists of Tony Bianco Footwear and Siren Shoes, Wanted (with their vested financial interest) would find the Despotic Queen’s stance ‘offensive’.

What really has me haute and bothered was yesterday the discovery that the Conde Nast owned Footwear News had crowed US footwear retailer, Steve Madden, as Company of the Year.

I know what you’re all thinking. But gawd damn, I’ve run out of pepper spray.

According to the FN write up ‘Steve Madden is a bulldog in business, and it shows. While many companies struggled to survive in the down economy, Steven Madden Ltd. thrived, barreling ahead with growth initiatives,...’

Desperate to eyeball Madden’s so called ‘growth initiatives’; I gave the company’s web portal a cursory once over.

The yield of knockoffs was bountiful but my tits of terror almost dropped off when I caught sight of ANOTHER effing Camilla Skovgaard knockoff.

“You’ve gotta be shitin’ me!” I cried

The only difference (and its subtle) between the Skovgaard original and the Steve Madden knockoff was the absence of the second topline strap.

US based Imeldettes (or anyone familiar with the brand) shouldn’t be surprised as Steven Madden Ltd have a notorious reputation for copycat behavior, including the reproduction of these two Balenciaga shoes found via NITROLICIOUS.

 However when a reputable publication like FN glorifies a company propagating copycat reproductions, what hope do independent designers have?

Steve Madden Ltd - welcome into Imelda’s Hall of Shame, take a seat next to Tony Bianco Ltd, Imelda’s thinks you’ve got a lot in common.

Comments

[Pearl Westwood]

You just keep on naming and shaming, Madden is a theif!

[jim]

i saw those balenciaga knock offs in the brissy airport outlet, really bad.

i saw in queen st mall store, aldo, has a alexander mcqueen biker jacket heel knock off in their front window. didn't get a photo but will tmw. there isn't a catalogue on their website.

[giancinephile]

When things get EXTREMELY CHEAP and Kitschy... there's STEVE MADDEN. Darn it, I feel like burning that free standing Steve Madden store here in Manille! IT SHOULD NOT BE EXISTING IN THE FIRST PLACE!

[Prêt-à-Porter P]

i personally will not wear steve madden, and that's not entirely because of the knock offs, it's because i grew up with a bunch of girls all wearing the same exact pair of SM shoes, and i dont want to be reminded of high school.

but this happens. i cant say im so above it, because hey i wear nine west. and i never liked nine west until they started doing the copying thing. ive got shoes with red soles, though i wish they didnt because of the CL, but what can i say i love black and red together.

[SwanDiamondRose]

i like you so very much i've RSS'ed you twice!

[bianca]

IT'S JUST NOT FAIR! As a young shoe designer, having your own label would be a huge emotional and financial risk, and for some big corporate giant to come in and knock of your design and make more profit than what you would from your design its despicable!!
It is going to kill the industry.
As an aspiring shoe designer I make a point never ever ever to buy knock offs of independant shoe designers shoes!!! - and as for knock-offs of major design houses shoes, there usually so hideous the way they change the designs that I can't understand why you would want to wear them!!