Air Force Ones - The “Big Money" by ST!ZO not MAD?

Well...they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if that is the case then ST!ZO nailed that saying on these custom kicks. I don't really know how this whole thing works, if Big Money/Modern Hero is copyrighted by MAD or what, but I am sure he has got to be pretty impressed himself by the talent this guy has!

From ST!ZO:

These shoes were commissioned by a big fan of artist/toy designer MAD L. The base shoe that was provided was an all black pair of Air Force Ones. The “Big Money" theme was requested, so gold accents were applied in addition to the pieces of the MAD L character collection as well as his tag ghosted throughout the design.

These are some truly amazing shoes, and the amount of effort put forth to nail down MAD's style is definitely apparent. What I can't understand is why this "Commissioned" artist did not contact MAD and have him do this for him instead! What are your thoughts on this?

Source [SneakerFreaker]