Protecting Louboutin Soles - Color Match Of Vibram Soles

[freestyle75]

Hi,

I recently bought Louboutin boots that I wanted to get a protective sole for. I found that saveyoursole.co.uk is offering Vibram protective soles that should match the red color of Louboutin's soles. Does it really match the color? Let's see.

These are the boots...

... ordered from a trustworthy German retailer. Original Louboutins...

The Vibram soles are close, but do not match the color completely. The Vibram soles are a bit darker than Louboutins color:

They are still better than black protective soles in my opinion. Nonetheless, I wanted to find out what color Louboutin uses. I went to the local DIY store and asked them for a RAL-color chart.

Although not visible that well in the picture, RAL color 3001 ("signal red") is the best color match.

I've emailed Vibram and sent them these pics, asking them whether they will change the color of their red sole production line to create an even closer match to Louboutin's creations. With some luck, we will soon have perfectly matching Vibram soles to protect Louboutin's red sole.

[Shafted]

I suspect the sole modification will severely impair the resale value of the shoes. Make sure this is really what you want to do.

[freestyle75]

Yes, I know. Well *sigh* ... I've read about the red soles of Louboutins. The red is gone quite quickly, and after that, it's just a leather sole. Slippery, some patches of red still visible... the best way to keep the resale value up is not to walk in them. There are also other ways to try to protect the sole, e.g. adhesives that are placed onto it, but this won't prevent the slippiness. Quite honestly, I've never resold a used pair of shoes, and whatever pair I buy, I wear. The only shoes I've sold again (always brand-new condition) so far were those that didn't fit and that I couldn't return for some reason. As I don't like to walk on slippery leather soles, I get > 80% of my new footwear resoled at my cobbler. For me, it counts that the shoe is well made and that I can enjoy it. It seems more people are thinking along that way, otherwise the site where I got these protective soles from would be out of business (they specialize on that kind of protective soles). Nonetheless, for those that sort of collect shoes more than they use them, your note is completely true. If you know any way of protecting the red sole without actually destroying parts of it, let me know! (it would be applied for the next pair of Louboutins ...)

[Dr. Shoe]

I've emailed Vibram and sent them these pics, asking them whether they will change the color of their red sole production line to create an even closer match to Louboutin's creations. With some luck, we will soon have perfectly matching Vibram soles to protect Louboutin's red sole.

I wouldn't hold your breath...

[FreshinHeels]

Would Vibram not get into trouble for making the same colour?

[DebbiNC]

The red Vibram soles are the choice for many Loubie owners who want to maintain their red soles as much as possible. The ladies at the Purse Forum swear by them. I only have a single pair (Pigalle 100) and decided to have the Vibram soles added after I had worn them a while. Frankly, I think they make the shoes wear better! Be sure to have a reputable cobbler apply them so the integrity of the shoe is not compromised.

[ilikekicks]

Would Vibram not get into trouble for making the same colour?

Does someone own a color that is produced through the light spectrum of nature? I cant see how such could happen.

I know about the whole CL ' patent ' and supposed ' infringement ', but no single entity can ' own ' sole exclusivity to something that occurs naturally and all over the planet.

[Shafted]

This came up in court. Louboutin lost the case. Red soles cannot be trademarked.

[freestyle75]

@Shafted: I don't know whether anything happened after the appeal, but the last information I got was that Louboutin won the case in the 2nd US Court of Appeals in New York. Business Week states:

The U.S. Appeals Court in Manhattan ruled today that Louboutin’s red sole is entitled to limited trademark protection, extending only to a red lacquered outer sole that contrasts with the color of the rest of the shoe and not to shoes that are monochromatically red.

Full article here.

I wonder why Buffalo Boots in Germany are still producing their red soled boots with that court ruling in place. But I guess Louboutin worries less about "copies" in that price range compared to what YSL tried.

[Dr. Shoe]

You cannot copyright the colour but you can copyright the use of the colour in the way that you do and also stop people from "knocking off" your design.

[Puffer]

You cannot copyright the colour but you can copyright the use of the colour in the way that you do and also stop people from "knocking off" your design.

Yes indeed, but the supply and/or addition of an extra sole (especially as it is a different material) should not infringe such rights as CL may have in the original red sole and shoe. If it were otherwise, a whole host of 'after market' products would not readily exist.