Can You Spot Which Shoe Is the Real $1,700 Designer Brand?

People have been scratching their heads after a fashion lover set the challenge of spotting the fake between designer shoes and their more affordable knockoffs. Katt Hendley, a 34-year-old from Glasgow, U.K., shares her fashion favorites on TikTok and Instagram under @irregularthinking. A recent video featuring a pair of Dolce & Gabbana heels has caused debate as people struggle to spot the fake.

"I always think it's great to highlight the quality differences between designer and knockoff, while at the same time not shaming anyone who might prefer the more affordable option," Hendley told Newsweek. "It's also interesting to see what people pick up as differences between the two and what they prefer." In the video with over 570,000 views, Hendley tried on two pairs of pineapple-themed heels—one pair from Dolce & Gabbana that retailed at over $1,700, and a counterfeit pair she picked up for $79. In 2023, the market volume for luxury fashion in the United States is estimated to be $27.15 billion. But in the shadow of inflation and cost of living pressures, consumers are starting to tighten their belts. Brands including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry and Prada have all seen falls in sales in the past year. Although it seems that not everyone has sworn off luxury goods—LVMH, which counts Louis Vuitton as one of its brands, saw revenue up 10 percent in the third quarter of this year, while Hermès, famous for the iconic Birkin bag, saw sales rise by 16 percent. The TikTok video showcases a side-by-side comparison of the two pairs, allowing viewers to scrutinize the intricate details. With cost difference of over 2,000 percent between the real and fake pair, viewers shared their theories. "The second pair is real," asserted Raphaella in the comments. "The first one looks better though." But commenter Melanie Bell disagreed and wrote: "I think the 1st are real ones—the fabric ruching looks better." Sara chimed in, disagreeing with Bell and suggesting: "The stitching on 2 is better, so I'd bet that's the real pair." Thankfully for those who are still guessing, Hendley did reveal which pair was the real designer number. "Pair number one is fake, and pair two is real," she said.

Some commenters said they thought the second—real—pair looked better, like Dallas who said: "The first ones are cute, I like the fake leaves. but the second pair look sturdy." But plenty of others said they were both super cool, proving that it isn't all about the price tag. "Fruity awesomeness," said Julia, while Spring Flower wrote: "They both look dope!!"