The Golden Goose Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Shopping + Saving On the Iconic Sneakers in 2023

Where to Find the Best Deals + How to Take Care of Your Very Own Golden Goose Sneakers

Main Image Courtesy of Elle.

Golden Goose sneakers are among the most popular items of distressed chic, which is referred to as a fashion trend where clothes and shoes are intentionally made to look worn out and even a little bit ruined. Over the past two decades, this kind of a fashion trend has been popular among influencers and celebrities who are always looking for new ways to innovate the look.

Shop at Shopbop to find the best Golden Goose sneaker sales and variety this holiday season. Image courtesy of Shopbop.

Golden Goose Brand + Golden Goose Sneakers

The Golden Goose brand is an Italian import that has been around since 2000. Francesa Rinaldo and Alessandro Gallo, both notable designers, founded the brand in Venice, Italy. Both Rinaldo and Gallo wanted to capitalize on the distressed chic fashion trend, by bringing the Golden Goose sneakers to life. The sneakers were designed similar to a diary, exemplifying experience through scruffs, tears, and smudges over time. While the shoes may be designed to physically appear in poor shape, the emphasis on quality and craftsmanship among shoemaking in Italy continues to live on in these shoes.

Master cobblers make each of the sneakers by hand, all the way from assembly to the final touches. You can find only the most high quality of leather in these shoes without any synthetic fabrics involved.

Why Are Golden Goose Sneakers So Popular?

Golden Goose sneakers provide the perfect “distressed” look in shoes that not many other brands have to offer. While some of the prices may seem a little bit surprising, it’s important to understand the features of what makes the shoe so great.

Comfortability 

While showing off your fashion sense in these shoes, you can also expect to feel comfortable at the same time. Typically when we buy new shoes for the first time, we can expect it to take a couple of times of wear and use before we actually break them in and start to feel comfortable. With Golden Goose sneakers, the shoes are weathered long before they are put out for shipping and delivery. This results in the stiff leather and soles being a lot softer, meaning they are ready to wear and feel comfortable as soon as you put them on.

All-Year Round

Golden Goose sneakers can be worn year round, and you can style them with just about any clothing! They are even waterproof, so you won’t have to worry about snow or rain.

Get a Little Taller

Golden Goose sneakers are actually made with a wedge built into the heel of the shoe. This means that the wearer will become an inch or two taller, doing a great job at elongating the legs. If you’ve been feeling a little insecure about your height, these shoes may just help give you that needed confidence boost.

5 Best Golden Goose Sneakers to Suit Your Casual Look

There’s a plethora of Golden Goose sneaker styles to choose from, so check out this guide to get insight into some of the best styles out there!

Superstar

As one of the brand’s most recognizable styles, Superstar has a color pop star applique along with printed branding on the heel and the perfect signature distressed style. The style is crafted from smooth leather, and comes with a variety of different colors and prints so that they can match any outfit. Superstar is also unisex!

Image Courtesy of Bloomingdale’s, where you can find Superstar shoes that will cost somewhere around $550, one of the lowest prices you can find for this style. 

Purestar Low Top

If you’re somewhat interested in the Golden Goose sneakers, but maybe prefer a less distressed look, the Purestar Low Top sneakers could be the perfect match for you. With an all-white design, the glittery pink heel tab is perfectly showcased to add in that color.

Image courtesy of Nordstrom, where you can find these shoes for $545.

Midstar

The Golden Goose Midstar sneakers are perfect for that skater/street style fashion look. These unique sneakers come with a textured sole, suede accents, star logo, sparkling silver lace, and some intricate detailing overall. These shoes go along perfectly with a pair of jeans!

Image courtesy of Jildor shoes, where you can currently find these shoes on sale for $402.50. Act fast so you don’t miss this great offer!

Ball Star

As a way to show homage towards 80s culture and American basketball, the Golden Goose Ball sneakers fuse a vintage aesthetic along with modern day styling. These shoes are handcrafted in Italy, using distressed calf leather and a signature star applique on the front.

Image courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman, where you can purchase this style on sale for $565.

Golden Goose Kids

While Golden Goose sneakers may be the perfect gift for your or your adult loved ones, they can be just as great for the kids! You can find the cutest lace-up and velcro styles from infants to toddlers all the way up to kids. These shoes are crafted from a very soft leather, making them super comfortable along with a non-slip sole to help them walk a lot more easily.

Image courtesy of Mytheresa, where you can find great deals on several styles of Golden Goose kids shoes for as low as $390.

How to Clean Golden Goose Sneakers

In order to keep your sneakers in the very best shape, it’s important to clean them regularly to maintain quality and ensure that you can enjoy them for as long as possible. Because the shoes are designed to look a little bit scuffed and beat up, it can seem a little bit difficult to ensure that they are cleaned off properly. However, you can follow these simple steps and enjoy your fresh sneakers for years to come!:

 

• The first thing you want to keep in mind about these shoes is that it’s not a good idea to place them in the washing machine! They can easily become damaged.
• It’s best to use a soft bristled brush or toothbrush to get rid of any dust or loose dirt.
• Mix a little soap with warm water, and dip a spare toothbrush in that mixture to lift away some of that more stubborn dirt.
• Make sure to de-lace the shoes first, then you can place them in your bowl of soap and water and scrub together. This will help to release a lot of that dirt, and you can leave them out to air dry after.
• You can crumble up a piece of paper inside your shoes to soak up any additional moisture. This will help to speed up the drying process a bit!
• Wipe with a dry cloth and you’re all set!

How To Watch Out For Fake Golden Goose Sneakers

Like most popular fashion items, there is always the risk of coming across knock offs that are trying to impersonate the actual brand. Check out a couple tactics you can use to help determine if the shoes are real or fake.

Toe Box Method

The toe box of your Golden Goose sneakers can help you determine whether or not they are authentic. On a real pair, the box will be a lot more narrow, with a taller and more defined point. Fakes may have more of a rounded toe, along with an overall flat and ugly look. You should also look out for any scrapes on the toe of the shoe that seem to be offcentered or messy. All scuffs on the shoe should be presented in more of a handcrafted and stylish way.

Golden Goose Soles + Insoles

Golden Goose sneakers come with soles that contain a horizontal zig-zag pattern. Fake shoes will typically not do a great job of replicating this look, usually with uneven spacing, zig-zag points that are too round, and overall more of a dull and patchy look. After you check the soles of the shoe, you should take a look at the insole. A real Golden Goose shoe will have darker and bold labeling, along with numbering that is more deeply engraved. Fake Golden Goose sneakers tend to have a faded insole with numbers that might even be too hard to read.

Text + Other Features

The real Golden Goose sneakers come with text that is usually of a darker color and easy to read. Both the spacing of the letters and quality of the stitching should also be consistent so that the shoe can stay in best of shape for as long as possible. Authentic shoes will also have glitter of different sizes, versus a fake Golden Goose that may only use glitter of the same size.

 

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Start Shopping Today

Golden Goose sneakers are among the most popular shoes in the world, which can make it difficult to find the styles you want and prices you can afford. Even if you’re looking for a better deal, avoid websites that may seem illegitimate or don’t have good reviews. Shopbop is the perfect place to look around and score some great deals!