The Red Scare

Plagiarism is defined as the wrongful appropriation, close imitation, or publication of another person’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions. We are taught in school that plagiarism is a crime, so how is it any different when we see a fake Louis Vuitton handbag on the streets of New York or a knock-off celebrity dress online?

Christian Louboutin signature red-sole shoe. 

Christian Louboutin is suing Yves Saint Laurent for putting red soles on his shoes.

Louboutin introduced the idea of the red-sole in 1992 when he painted red nail polish on the backs of a pair of women’s shoes. This quickly became one of the most iconic stiletto-looks in fashion.

“I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident,” said Louboutin in an interview with Bazaar.

For Yves Saint Laurent to be using red-soles on the backs of his shoes seems like a crime in the fashion world. According to the Huffington Post, Louboutin claims he has asked Laurent to stop the construction of “slapping some rouge,” onto the sole of the brand’s shoes since January.

The lawsuit reads: “Defendants’ use of red footwear outsoles that are virtually identical to plaintiffs’ Red Sole Mark is likely to cause and is causing confusion, mistake and deception among the relevant purchasing public.”

Courtesy of Top Brand Club.

Unfortunately, shoes are not the only product taking a hit. Coach has sued Target of alleged trademark infringement for selling a fake Coach purse. High-end products lose authenticity and legitimacy due to counterfeits and trademark violations. Some brands have already started policing their own merchandise in order to combat counterfeiting.

Jossy Jo, a Beijing brand has implemented Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a means to track any item from creation to sale. The tags assure to consumers that their goods are genuine.

Celebrities wearing Christian Louboutin shoes.
Photo courtesy of Profashionelle.

Christian Loubouton shoes have built their name around the use of the red sole, it seems this is an act of Yves Saint Laurent to gain a larger profit off of Louboutin’s trademark. No one wants to see Louboutin’s red-sole to be printed on the backs of cheaply made shoes or even the luxurious heels of Yves Saint Laurent.

When a designer’s ideas and creations begin to be compromised, it is understandable that Louboutin is seeking $1 million in damages. That is, comparable to around 250 pairs of the beautiful red-sole Louboutin shoes.