Apparel company Nasty Gal has released a new sandal that looks a lot like a style of sandals from Miu Miu. Miu Miu’s suede espadrilles are currently selling for $360 a pair while Nasty Gal’s new Santa Clara espadrilles offer a look so similar, most will not be able to tell the difference for only $25. Espadrilles are a summer hit, featured on countless Instagram profiles and now it is possible to achieve this favorite look without spending a fortune.
Nasty Gal has released their pair of black raffia platforms that look almost identical to Miu Miu’s espadrilles. While Miu Miu uses goat suede on their crossover fabric straps, Nasty Gal’s version features a synthetic material crossover strap. Another small difference between the designer brand and copy-cat version is the black stitching around the edges. Nasty Gal’s version of the designer sandal uses black stitching around the platform sole which only makes a noticeable difference to those with keen awareness of catwalk trends. Aside from those two minor details, the only major difference seems to be the price. Nasty Gal has describes their sandals, the Santa Clara espadrilles as ‘a perfect excuse to get away’ with the features of a platform jute sole, slip-on design, and an open toe.
You can find Miu Miu’s suede espadrilles on sale for $360 on Net-A-Porter in a color choice of either black or light pink. On Nasty Gal’s website you will find their Santa Clara espadrilles for a fraction of the price- only $25.
Nasty Gal is not the first, and definitely will not be the last, brand to make a less expensive version of a designer shoe. Many high-street retailers have begun the same practice and another cult label, Danish brand Ganni, has seen many of their must-have items replicated in cheaper copy-cat versions. One recent example is the H&M kitten heel slingbacks that appear to be inspired by Alexa Chung’s Adwoa Aboah design. The real designer shoe from Ganni is selling for $210, nearly ten times the price of the H&M version, which is only $29.99.
Another shoe brand with a cheaper, copy-cat version is the Birkenstock sandal. Birkenstock sandals have become extremely popular and they now have witnessed several different copy-cat versions hit the market. Target has their own version of the look-alike sandals available in a large variety of options. Of course, they put a little spin on their version of the sandal and incorporated a floral pattern, but they also offer the traditional colors. Target sells their version of Birkenstock sandals for $22.99 compared to the designer price of $125. Another brand, Clarks, also offers a look-alike Birkenstock sandal that offers a high-quality shoe that is both fashionable and comfortable for $99. Madden Girl also copied the Birkenstock sandal with their very own Brando-J sandals that offer fun colors such as a multi-color floral and a subtle gold hue for $49.95.
