ALDI's new A1 sneaker, which lands down the grocery store's middle aisle on August 23, looks remarkably suspicious, right?
Dubbed a “dupe” by the grocery store's very own press release, ALDI's A1 is probably the most obvious downright copy of a Nike Air Force 1 we've ever seen.
Everything from the perforated upper to the chunky midsole screams Nike AF1, but instead of wearing a Swoosh, ALDI's A1 shoe is about as barren as they come.
But hey, here’s the real kicker: Nike's Air Force 1 retails for $100, whereas Aldi's A1 will be sold for just $12.99.
In truth, ALDI has made a habit of duping popular silhouettes. Last year, for instance, when the German supermarket chain dropped its own version of Crocs' Clog for just $4. That's $35 less than actual Crocs.
Historically, Nike hasn't let AF1 dupes go unchallenged. Only last year the sports label filed a lawsuit against designer John Geiger, claiming that his GF-01 sneaker was “[capitalizing] on Nike’s reputation and the reputation of its iconic shoes.” The issue was eventually settled amicably after Geiger agreed to modify the design of his GF-01.
Honestly, the main issue we have with ALDI is that instead of using this opportunity to have its say on a specific silhouette with a twist or an ALDI logo, it's deriving the original designs of any branding whatsoever. Instead, ALDI is simply recreating a shoe for a fraction of the cost and quality.
