Imitation = Flattery? SJP Angelica and Maddalena Pumps vs Manolo Blahnik "Something Blue" Hangisi

To say I'm utterly disgusted and disappointed would be putting it mildly.

When I saw that the SJP collection was coming to Bloomingdale's, I thought I would go by and see how the collection, which I've reviewed previously, was expanding.  I figured I would see some pretty yet boring pieces along the lines of the initial styles.  I was not expecting to see something shocking.

But I was absolutely floored to see that SJP had utterly ripped off possibly the most iconic shoe from all of Sex and the City - the Manolo Blahnik "Something Blue" Hangisi pump.

Here is the Angelica from the new SJP Collection at Bloomingdales (The similar 'Maddalena' style is at Nordstrom's and has a pointier toe.) -

And here is the Hangisi. The shoe which is essentially the emotional touchstone of Carrie and Big's resolution in the movie.  The shoe he proposes to her with. The shoe bought for her wedding, abandoned and then worn for the simple ceremony they ultimately had. A shoe created just for this movie by Mr. Blahnik.

In some articles the leveraging of the style is more blatant. Heck in the Bloomingdale's item description, they even include a reference to "something blue". I know the Blahnik team is involved in the SJP Collection, which makes it even more disappointing. Why not use her line as an opportunity to do something new and delightful.  It can't be the price point because these heels are over $500 (ironically, that is what they said the MB's were in the movie. Now they're over $900), not exactly a bargain.

So am I being too harsh? Are they different enough? Or are they leveraging a little too heavily on the SATC/Carrie magic and not creating any magic of their own?

Read more in the Imitation = Flattery series.