Kiki

Posted: 03/11/2009

We have seen some blatant rip-offs in our time (like when Sony Bravia pilfered directly from our friends Kozy-n-Dan), but this is right up there.  It appears Nine West and New Balance have teamed up to shamelessly steal from one of our favorite Japanese artists, Takashi Murakami.  Not only do they pluck his signature eyeball, there’s a sub-par animation explaining the birth of their new mascot, NWBI.

murakami_ripoff.jpg

But it gets better, Nine West and New Balance even go so far as to create a video of the “designers” thinking up the concept, and then name the shoe the same name as one of Murakami’s most famous characters, Kiki!

were_mad_too_kiki.jpg

Oh, the shame.  But Murakami is still untouchable.  There is nothing that could water down his art.  Seeing this piece up close at the MOCA was a sight I won’t soon forget.

murakami_transformer.jpg

Categories

art, wtf

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