First off, let me just say, I get it. The real deal Superstars are iconic, classic, and…kinda pricey. Sometimes your wallet screams “NOPE” louder than a referee blowing a whistle. So, the allure of a cheaper alternative is, ya know, *there*.
But let’s be real, buying a fake is a gamble. You might score a decent-looking pair that lasts a season. You might end up with something that falls apart faster than a cheap burger. It’s a lottery, basically.
I’ve seen some reviews, some folks even cutting these bad boys in half! (Seriously, check YouTube, it’s wild). From what I gathered, the main differences are usually pretty obvious. The original Superstar always has those three serrated stripes, right? On the fakes, sometimes they’re, like, slightly *off*. Maybe the spacing is weird, maybe the serration is duller. It’s like trying to draw a perfect circle freehand – almost impossible to nail.
And the stitching? Oh lord, the stitching. On a real Superstar, it’s clean, consistent, and you can tell someone actually cared. On a fake, it can be wonky, uneven, and sometimes straight-up missing in places. It’s like they let a drunk robot do the sewing, y’know?
Then there’s the box. One review I saw mentioned getting the shoes in a beat-up, generic box. Uh, red flag central! Adidas isn’t gonna ship their precious Superstars in something that looks like it was salvaged from a dumpster. That’s just…sad.
And don’t even get me started on the smell. I read a comment about a pair smelling suspiciously like…well, glue. Authentic leather shouldn’t smell like a craft project gone wrong.
Honestly, the “original vs fake” videos are your best bet. People point out the differences in the shell toe, the heel tab, the logo placement, the *everything*. It’s like a masterclass in spotting a counterfeit.
But, here’s my personal take: If you’re really strapped for cash, and a “first copy” is all you can swing, just be aware of what you’re getting. Don’t expect the same quality or durability as the real deal. And for goodness sake, don’t try to pass them off as authentic! That’s just…cheesy.
