Golden Goose Deluxe Brand, the Italian high-fashion sneaker brand which retails between $500-$800, is widely recognized by its sparkly star label and unique scuffed look. Shockingly, the sneakers can be purchased already looking like they have been tied to a car and dragged down a back alley. Nevertheless, the brand’s attempt at a southern Californian skatepark look is what drives customers to the checkout aisle. 

Despite their rocketing sales, Golden Goose has received much backlash after some people claimed that the worn and torn presentation of the shoe glorifies poverty and is insensitive to those who are actually criticized for wearing scuffed clothes. However, everyone should be able to make their own stylistic choices and wear what they want. The brand should be under scrutiny, not the person. 

Golden Goose falls under the trendy aesthetic of “preppy,” a term originally coined to describe the style of those attending elite preparatory schools. It was unofficially redefined to describe the colorful fashion and lifestyle of Gen-Z through clothing, room decor, skincare, and accessories. Commonly known preppy high-priced brands include Roller Rabbit, Love Shack Fancy, Stoney Clover Lane, Drunk Elephant, and, you guessed it, Golden Goose. 

The preppy aesthetic flourishes within boarding school environments such as our own and is most popular amongst girls. Many Loomis students are very familiar with the Golden Goose brand.

Leila Fournier ’24 said, “they’re high-priced and preppy,” and Kingston Walker ’24 noted the brand’s high popularity on campus, stating that they are “the typical Loomis sneakers that you see around three to four times a day.”

Delaney Pece ’25 purchased Golden Goose sneakers because “they are cute and are a great staple piece that you can wear for formal or casual occasions.”

Students have varying opinions about the controversy surrounding Golden Goose glorifying poverty. While Pece mentioned that the shoes having such a high price just to appear stained and tattered could be disrespectful to some people, others had a different take. 

“I don’t think that the shoes glorify poverty. A lot of other brands are also going with the distressed route. With Converse and Vans for example, some people prefer the more natural, worn-out look in the shoes,” Walker said. 

Also, most sneakers become dirty overtime anyways, and Golden Goose leveraging this fact is an interesting take. 

It is hypocritical that when less wealthy people wear older, worn shoes that are not from a high-end brand, it is looked down upon and seen as unprofessional. However, when others who have greater resources purchase expensive shoes that are also worn, it is seen as fashionable. 

Those who wear Golden Goose sneakers are not necessarily at fault for this societal flaw. Despite the negativity surrounding Golden Goose, the slander that people receive who do wear sneakers is unnecessary. Everyone is entitled to their own “look,” so wear what makes you feel confident.