At this point, it isn’t a secret that Zara tends to look at what’s trending on the runway, repurpose it for a more mass audience, and sell it for a fraction of the price. It’s in the retailer's DNA to take what the consumer wants and offer it in “fairly reasonable quality” — and it isn’t shy about its goal of being super-fast, either. Designers even travel with a camera, pen, and paper to watch (and record) how people dress, because basically everything is fair game.
That's why, we can’t say we’re totally surprised that, at this very moment, the fast-fashion store is selling a shoe that looks eerily close to Balenciaga’s Triple S sneaker, which appeared on the fall 2017 runway in Paris back in January. The Balenciaga version, of course, retails for $795, while Zara’s costs a more budget-friendly $35.90. Called “multi-piece sneakers,” Zara describes the shoes as “a combination of different materials and colors” that “ feature pull tab in the back for slipping on with ease, adjustable lace-up fastening.”
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Though it’s not a shock, knock-off’s are always disappointing, whether it happens to a high-end fashion house like Balenciaga, or a small indie designer. It doesn’t just highlight inauthenticity and a lack of creativity, either — it can effect fashion brands from a business and branding standpoint, which is something that, frankly, we’re just not here for.
We’ve reached out to Balenciaga for comment and will update this article if/when we hear back.