For years we’ve seen celebrities and the fashion elite step out wearing tattered shoes decorated with a signature star emblem on the side. Golden Goose is an Italian brand that specializes in luxury clothing and particularly shoes. Their products have been seen on celebrities like Taylor Swift and those with the cash to afford the brand’s high prices.
By far the most iconic styles are the Sky Star and Stardan looks with details that give them a worn appearance. Both sneakers prominently display the Golden Goose signature logo that legitimizes their shabbiness. Without the logo, these would just be another beat-up pair of sneakers, but in reality, they are much more.
Besides the celebrity endorsement that popularized the footwear, Golden Goose had a clear intention behind the design that makes them more prized than they appear. On the surface, these sneakers have the look of a product that would indicate a lack of quality. The intentional scuffs and tears might lead one to believe that the “stuff” used to make them would not be valuable.
On the contrary, according to Golden Goose, this is far from the truth. They use luxury fabric and leather to assemble the shoes and embed them with micro-foam for extended comfort. However, it’s hard to deduce this based on the images the brand has posted on its website and social media.
Image found on Golden Goose’s official website
Image found on Golden Goose’s official website
Image found on Golden Goose’s official website
Now here is the real question: If these shoes look so old and worn by time, why are they retailing at around $600? It’s all in the intentions and marketing. Golden Goose has stated that these Sky-Star shoes are “a reference to the childhood dream of having your favorite sneakers signed by basketball legends.” They paint a picture and bring back memories of your childhood.
The Stardan sneakers ask you to “imagine going back in time to the 90s” and also experience the “American college vibe.” Golden Goose claims that the sneakers “[speak] through their details, construction, [and] colors.” I guess this means the scuffs and smudges are meant to suggest an attachment to memory rather than low quality.
Truthfully, we are all guilty of placing meaning and a vast amount of value on things that are not substantially valuable. We value the fluffy meaning behind material clothing rather than the materials the clothes are made of.
You don’t believe me? Let’s consider an example: I have white Converse that I received eight years ago. As you can imagine, they are tattered, ripped, and the souls are falling out. They are no longer white and the shoelaces have been splashed by thousands of puddles over the years. I recently had a friend give me a pair of white Converse because mine were seemingly falling apart. Now, I have an identical pair of white Converse, except newer and cleaner. However, I always default to my old Converse, and if I had to choose which to keep, I would choose my old ones. Why? I could ask you the same question.
Most people have something (not necessarily shoes or even an item of clothing) but something that has value, not because of what it would actually be worth if appraised. The value comes from the meaning we give it, the stories and time behind the rips and stains. It’s like putting a price on a friendship or memory. It’s incredibly difficult.
Golden Goose successfully manufactures this fluffy meaning behind the garments that are associated with our memories. Why do their tattered-looking sneakers sell? Because of the scenes of innocence and authenticity, we connect with the style. This also means that instead of breaking the bank to fork up the funds for these shoes, we can all simply look in our own closets to find “a thrill that runs along the paths of nostalgia.”
Why Style Sells 
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