Would you buy "fake" shoes?

Yesterday, there was a story on New York Magazine's website about an online Christian Louboutin store, Louboutin Mall, which is selling a vast selection of the fancy, red-soled French shoes at a fraction of their original prices (Louboutins are usually $600 up to $1,800, Louboutin Mall styles start at $160). But here's the rub, of course: The cheaper shoes are total reproductions, they have nothing to do with the swank Louboutin brand, and, according to New York Mag, the idea of knockoff versions is "horrid."

Hmmm. I'm not so sure. Of course, I understand why counterfeiting is bad for the original company, and I also see how it's awful to steal someone else's ideas and make a profit from them (and there's no doubt, it is stealing). However, it equally insults me that retailers get away with selling a pair of shoes for $1,000 just because they're perceived as upscale and posh. I'm not reporting anything new here when I tell you there's no rhyme or reason to it-more often than not, companies inflate their prices just because they can. My friends who have Louboutins notice many of the same issues (excruciating foot pain, heel breakage, and sooner-than-you'd-like wear) that one experiences with a pair of Nine West pumps. Because of this, something in me-wrong or not-feels it should be OK to purchase of the illusion of luxury for $160, rather than the the real thing for a month's rent.

Do you care if an item is a fake?
Source: NY Mag