• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Subscribe
  • Fashion
  • Sneakers
  • Bags
  • Accessories
  • Music
  • Rihanna
  • Follow
    • INSTAGRAM
    • FACEBOOK
    • PINTEREST
    • TWITTER
    • YOUTUBE
News September 28, 2020
By Snobette
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Share Tweet Pin Linkedln Email Reddit
News

Jeff Staple Catches Heat For Warren Lotas Dunk Collab

warren-lotas-jeff-staple-pigeon-sneaker

September 28, 2020. 1 Comment

October 15, 2020 update: Nike has sued Warren Lotas for selling a shoe that is “confusingly similar” to the brand’s Dunk sneaker. Read more here.

Read the original story below.

Designer Jeff Staple is catching a lot of heat online for choosing to recreate his iconic 2005 Pigeon Dunk SB in the form of a bootleg collab with Warren Lotas priced at $300.

The shoe was dropped with little notice on Sunday (September 27, 2020) with a 15-minute shopping window. On Instagram, Lotus explained, “We will leave the sneakers up for 15 MINUTES WITHOUT A SET QUANTITY. We want this shoe to be accessible to EVERYONE. EVERYONE THAT WANTS A PAIR WILL GET A PAIR.”

View this post on Instagram

OFFICIAL @STAPLEPIGEON X WL REINTERPRETED OG SHOES ARE GONE – Thank you Jeff and Billy for giving me an opportunity to be a part of your legacy. Love me or hate me, I’m glad we can include so many more people in this moment. An official reinterpretation of a fucking CLASSIC! – PLEASE READ: We will leave the sneakers up for 15 MINUTES WITHOUT A SET QUANTITY. We want this shoe to be accessible to EVERYONE. EVERYONE THAT WANTS A PAIR WILL GET A PAIR. – THIS IS A PRE-ORDER THAT WILL TAKE 3-4 MONTHS TO PRODUCE. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE. IT IS A PRE-ORDER. THIS IS A WARREN LOTAS SHOE, IT IS PRODUCED FROM SCRATCH BY ME. PLEASE KNOW THAT. NO ALIBABA BULLSHIT. ITALIAN MATERIALS.

A post shared by Warren Lotas (@warrenlotas) on Sep 27, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Expressing his thanks to Staple (real name Jeff Ng) for the opportunity, Lotas added, “Thank you Jeff and Billy [Mullen] for giving me an opportunity to be a part of your legacy. Love me or hate me, I’m glad we can include so many more people in this moment. An official reinterpretation of a f*cking CLASSIC!”

Staple has been described on social media as a sell out for working with Lotas, a move view as betraying his enduring partnership with Nike, one that has been instrumental in helping to build his brand’s equity.

In addition to the 2005 riot-causing Dunk SB that created a breakout moment for the brand, Staple has partnered with Nike on multiple shoes including several more Dunk silhouettes, most recently the Panda Pigeon, dropped in late 2019.

At the same time, the concept of a bootleg shoe is problematic for many sneaker lovers who view a shoe design drafted off an original silhouette as a cheap copy as best or at worst, a case of theft.

However, not everyone is opposed to the concept of a bootleg shoe poking at the bear that is Nike in part because parody and tribute shoes have always been a part of sneaker culture. Case in point A Bathing Ape‘s Bapesta, a much love and unabashed copycat version of Nike’s fame Air Force 1.

jeff staple reaction

Brushing off the critiques on Instagram Live (above), Staple wrote, “I love/hate the internet” over a screen capture of dueling comments, one praising the collaboration as “genius level f*ckery” and the other telling Staple he’d lost all respect for him.

Los Angeles-based Lotas is an artist turned designer who launched his label out of his dorm room in 2014 with a series of upcycled denim, leather jackets and flannels pieces detailed with his hand-drawn macabre illustrations and calligraphy. He went on to apply his illustrations to t-shirts and basketball jerseys and then added his designs to Nike Air Force 1 silhouettes.

Lotas made waves when he began to create a series of copycat Dunk sneakers swapping out the Nike Swoosh for a similarly-shaped logo paying homage to Friday the 13th’s Jason Vorhees. Lotas works with a manufacture in Asia to build the shoes to his specifications.

Lotas’ Dunk SB with Staple isn’t his first. He’s created multiple Jason Vorhees Dunk SB shoes to the point where there’s open speculation about whether or not Nike will take legal action.

While some might argue Nike gains credibility from individuals taking inspiration from their shoes, the brand over the years has pushed back on blatant bootlegs involving garments or shoes manufactured independently of the brand.

In the case of the 2006 Menthol 10 shoe, designer Ari Saal Forman received a cease and desist from Nike and was sued by cigarette brand Newport.

In an 2018 interview with Vice, Forman said Nike was “cool about it,” but Newport took a much more aggressive approach and Forman ultimately was forced to agree to a settlement restricting him from even owning a pair of the shoes.

Racking up just over $11,000 in lawyer bills, the agreement also included a clause stating he had to buy back any pairs available to purchase for less than $200 and then destroy them.

Check out Forman’s story below.

News Collaboration Nike Sneakers A Bathing Ape Air Force 1 BAPE Dunk Jeff Staple Warren Lotas

What To Read Next

Read More
Sneakers

Martine Rose Unveils New Nike Shox MR4 During Her Spring’26 Runway Show

London-based designer Martine Rose debuted a fresh white Nike Shox MR4 during her spring 2026 runway show.Setting the

Read More ...
by Samia Grand Pierre on June 15, 2025
SHARE
Read More
News

Donatella Versace Steps Down As Versace Creative Director

After 27 years leading the house her brother founded in 1978, Donatella Versace steps into a new role

Read More ...
by Samia Grand Pierre on March 13, 2025
SHARE
Read More
News

SneakersNStuff Saved From Bankruptcy With New Investor

In news reported by Sneaker Freaker Stockholm-based Sneakersnstuff sneaker retailer has been saved from bankruptcy, with investment firm

Read More ...
by Samia Grand Pierre on February 28, 2025
SHARE
Puma and New York-based fashion brand LaQuan Smith Puma and New York-based fashion brand LaQuan Smith are back with their second collaboration, this time inspired by the glitz and grit of the boxing ring. 

The campaign stars Ming Lee Simmons, dressed in satin-finished boxing shorts, cropped jackets, and tear-away pants with luxe details.

The capsule also includes two Speedcat silhouettes, including the Speedcat Mid, a high-ankle boxing sneaker. 

Priced between $80-$100, the Puma x LaQuan Smith collection launches on March 15 on puma.com, the Puma NYC and Las Vegas flagship stores, and select retailers including Foot Locker and Shoe Palace.
Artist Sue Tsai brought her signature whimsical de Artist Sue Tsai brought her signature whimsical designs to a capsule collection of earrings in collaboration with New York jeweler Greg Yüna. The statement earrings are now on display at Greg Yüna's Soho boutique and  now available on gregyuna.com.

The pair previously dropped a perfect match necklace set in 2021 that was 🔥. 

#gregyuna
#suetsai
For fall winter 2025 KNWLS opted to forego a runwa For fall winter 2025 KNWLS opted to forego a runway show and present their collection in a styled lookbook.

Taking inspiration from a feminine Y2K aesthetic, the collection embodies designers Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault’s ability to balance sexy and cool. 

In an interview with Vogue, the pair shared that they are currently working on a new design director role in Europe and have several other projects in the pipeline, including another denim project, a collaboration with a jewelry brand, and a menswear capsule for an e-commerce site.

Commenting on the lookbook styling, they shared, "Obviously in the lookbooks it's styled in a quite extreme way, but if you break it down into individual pieces, we've been thinking about merchandising and the customer more than ever before," said Arsenault. "We've seen the team in the studio wearing the pieces differently too, and we've taken that into account. It's a nice challenge to say: 'Okay, we want to make a sweatshirt, but it still has this silhouette or wash or rib detail that makes it feel really Knwls."

#knwls
Reason a million why Rihanna has her own tab on s Reason a million why Rihanna has her own tab on  snobette.com: Her effortless ability to find humor during her J'adore Dior audio rehearsal video. 

Rihanna was appointed as J'Adore Dior fragrance ambassador in 2024, replacing Charlize Theron, who held the role for 20 years. She has a long-standing relationship with the brand, having been named as their first Black brand ambassador in 2015. 

#rihanna
Atlanta-based Pluto and YK Niece released Whim Wha Atlanta-based Pluto and YK Niece released Whim Whamiee single a few weeks ago, and the track is now trending on TikTok as the "Lululemon Song". 

Rapper JT shared that she's hooked on the song, especially the "Lulu" verse.

To witness an athletic apparel brand being name-dropped in hip-hop by emerging women rappers highlights how much women love their fitness/athleisure wear but also the fact that there is a flex that comes with wearing Lululemon in certain circles.

 Male rappers Jbeezy.Lfg and Lil Scoom89
respectively dropped singles titled Lululemon last year referencing women wearing the brand. 

Whim Whamiee by is now streaming on all DSPs. 

Thoughts? 

#lululemon 
#lululemonsong
Alessandro's Michele's latest Valentino runway col Alessandro's Michele's latest Valentino runway collection for fall 2025 featured a  collaboration with  none other than Vans.

Stay tuned for more updates!

#vans
#valentino 
#valentinoxvans
INSTAGRAMFACEBOOKPINTERESTTWITTERYOUTUBE
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop

Copyright © Snobette - Privacy Policy

Asset 1
Asset 1
Asset 1
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Fashion
  • Sneakers
  • Bags
  • Accessories
  • Music
  • Rihanna