Where do I even begin with this one? Golden Gooses. (Golden Geese?) You know, the ugly scuffed-up sneakers people drop $600 on? Yeah, they’re dumb. There are some fashion trends I refuse to participate in, but I respect others’ choice to do so. This, on the other hand, I will never understand.
Golden Goose is an Italian luxury brand with a cult following of sorority girls, rich moms and celebrities who started selling ugly sneakers in the year 2000. And if you’ve ever seen a pair, you’d know the brand really lives and dies by their slogan “perfect imperfection” emphasis on the “imperfection.” The shoes are purposely ripped, distressed and duct-taped back together to give them their oh-so-coveted lived-in look. Apparently, this is part of the appeal. Buyers brag about not having to worry about keeping their sneakers in new condition since they already look so ragged. But if I’m paying that much for a pair of shoes, they better come out of the box in perfect condition.
The brand champions its artisan craftsmanship, but without reading the about page of their website you’d never know they weren’t just a scuffed-up sneaker from Zara. Some stores even offer a “Lived-In Treatment” where they’ll distress your shoes for you for around a hundred dollars. You know, in case the pair you bought wasn’t already ugly enough. “Brand new” their shoes range from 500 to 1000 dollars, and sometimes more. Even used, a pair of Golden Gooses go for upwards of 400 dollars. Be honest with yourself though, would you ever be able to tell the difference between a new pair and a used pair?
But if you’re looking to toss your money in the bin, Golden Gooses are stocked by Neiman Marcus, Farfetch, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter and Saks, just to name a few. If you think about it, these retailers are almost validating the shoes’ price point and relevance by stocking them. Hmm …
Yes, these are expensive shoes, but you’d never know it if you didn’t know the brand. The whole thing feels a little like a let’s-see-how-dumb-our-customers-are scheme. Buying a pair of Golden Gooses is almost like buying your way into a club of rich people that think they’re more fashionable than they actually are. Remember kids, money doesn’t buy style.
Normally the point of a status symbol is that people actually recognize what you’re wearing, but this is more of an if-you-know-you-know thing. Which somehow makes me hate it more? It’s not the same kind of obnoxious wealth bragging as wearing a full monogrammed Louis Vuitton look, it’s more subtle, and definitely still horrible.
But Golden Goose isn’t the only company profiting off of ridiculously distressed products. Balenciaga’s done it, Yeezy’s done it, Adidas has done it. Unfortunately fetishizing poverty is nothing new in the fashion industry. With the ridiculous price tag on a pair of GG sneakers, they’re clearly not meant for the average consumer. Brands like this allow the wealthy to play dress down instead of dress up, as is so popular nowadays.
While distressed clothing isn’t by any means a recent development, the outrage over Golden Goose in particular is justified. The difference between these shoes and a pair of ripped American Eagle jeans is the cost. Where Golden Goose customers make a choice to wear expensive worn-out shoes, others don’t have the luxury to turn poverty into an aesthetic.
And in case you were wondering, they’re not really gaining many points in the sustainability department either. Good On You, a company that researches and rates brands based on their supply chain practices, rated Golden Goose “not good enough.” This is based on an assessment of their environmental, labor, animal rights and products practices as of July 2022.
I mean come on, this pair looks like they skinned a muppet and glued it onto an old pair of converse. They’re made from horrendously dyed pony fur and skin and will run you $819. For how atrocious they look, its a crime they’d use actual animal products when they could’ve achieved the same thing with supplies from the craft store.
Golden Goose does offer sneaker repairs in some stores, but by “repairs” they just mean resoling the shoes. With the otherwise small amount of effort put forth towards sustainability, this feels a bit performative. (Especially since it’s not a very profitable idea for the company.) Although the company does get credit for having sneaker recycling bins in stores, the final destination is unknown. Luxury brands cater to luxury buyers, and buyers with that much cash aren’t going to repair an already old-looking pair of sneakers. They’re going to buy a new pair online in two clicks.
Overall Golden Gooses are just one of the many many things wrong with the fashion industry. And after researching the brand, my mind has not changed. They look like a pair of shoes you’d find outside of a dumpster behind Payless. I’m still not impressed.
But what’s the general fashion major consensus here? Love them? Hate them? Let us know your thoughts, complaints and/or grievances at style@scadconnector.com.
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