Golden Goose Is Getting Some Serious Flak for ‘Glorifying Poverty’ (2024)

Golden Goose is once again facing heat over its unusual sneaker designs.

The Italian brand is being lambasted on social media for “glorifying poverty” by selling a scuffed, battered-looking style covered with duct tape across the toe and heel. Part of Golden Goose’s new fall ’18 collection, the $530 Superstar Taped shoes are described on Nordstrom’s website as featuring design details such as “crumply, hold-it-all-together tape” and a “grungy rubber cupsole.”

Golden Goose Is Getting Some Serious Flak for ‘Glorifying Poverty’ (1)

But some consumers aren’t grasping the fashion appeal of the “intentionally distressed and destroyed” trend, which they believe makes light of being poor. The shoes have been slammed as “distasteful,” “shameful” and “offensive.” One outraged Twitter user commented, “There are people in the world wearing plastic bags as shoes because they can’t afford any, but these hideous things are selling for $500.” The tweet has since been liked more than 49,000 times.

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“This is the world we live in. The rich imitating the poor,” another critic vented.

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Others even reflected on hardships in their own families that had their relatives resorting to taping up their shoes when they couldn’t afford a new pair. “My mother and her siblings all had to wear tape on their shoes to school. My grandfather was fighting in World War I and II, and there was no money for shoes,” said a user named Holly Wilson.

Golden Goose Is Getting Some Serious Flak for ‘Glorifying Poverty’ (2)

This is not the first time that Golden Goose has come under fire for its well-worn-in kicks. Two years ago, for instance, the brand was heavily criticized for a similar style featuring ripped laces and silver duct tape. Golden Goose responded to the controversy at the time, explaining that it has featured pre-distressed footwear and clothing in its collections for years.

“[Our] company is proud to highlight its pioneering role in the booming of the distressed look, one of the current biggest trends in fashion,” the Venetian label said in a statement to Us magazine. “The duct tape reinforcements appearing on the [Superstar sneaker] style pay homage to the West Coast’s skater culture — professional skaters, who have inspired the brand’s shoe collections from the beginning, repair their shoes with the same kind of tape.”

Golden Goose has yet to respond to this latest controversy. In the meantime, the shoes are still available for sale on the brand’s website.

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Golden Goose Is Getting Some Serious Flak for ‘Glorifying Poverty’ (2024)

FAQs

Golden Goose Is Getting Some Serious Flak for ‘Glorifying Poverty’? ›

Golden Goose's Superstar Taped sneakers have sparked quite a controversy. Golden Goose is once again facing heat over its unusual sneaker designs. The Italian brand is being lambasted on social media for “glorifying poverty” by selling a scuffed, battered-looking style covered with duct tape across the toe and heel.

What is the Golden Goose controversy? ›

Italian luxury sneaker brand Golden Goose came under fire after it debuted a pair of $530 sneakers that are styled to look dingy and worn-out with duct tape accents that's described on Nordstrom's website as “crumply, hold-it-all-together tape.”

What is the deal with Golden Goose shoes? ›

Golden Goose is a luxury sneaker brand that was founded in Venice, Italy in 2000. You might see the scuffs and think that they are poorly made, but the truth is quite the opposite. Each shoe is hand crafted from high quality Italian leather to get their very recognizable “broken in” look.

What is the meaning behind the Golden Goose? ›

: something that is a very good source of money or business.

What are the values of Golden Goose? ›

OUR BRAND VALUES

Our creations carry a story within them. They are made with love and infused with that vintage feel that has become our unmistakable signature. Everything we do is handmade and permeated by the warmth of the human touch. We preserve our heritage while passing down artisanal tradition.

What is the main problem in the golden goose? ›

Conflict: The main problem in the story, is that Simpleton is scorned upon, looked down upon, and taken advantage of. This takes place multiple times in the story, and could be described as a Man V. Society conflict.

Why was the golden goose killed? ›

He was not getting rich fast enough. Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the Goose and cutting it open.

What is the moral of the golden goose? ›

The golden goose story teaches us that greed can lead to great loss. If the farmer and his wife were not greedy and had not killed the goose, they would have received several golden eggs and could have lived happily.

What is the golden goose theory? ›

The tale has given rise to the idiom 'killing the goose that lays the golden eggs', which refers to the short-sighted destruction of a valuable resource, or to an unprofitable action motivated by greed.

Are golden gooses cheaper in Italy? ›

Are they cheaper in Europe? Yes! Because they are made in Italy, they are a little bit more affordable in Europe. With the VAT refund and conversion rate, they end up being about $100 – $200 cheaper over in Paris, Italy and all of Europe.

Is Golden Goose considered luxury? ›

The Italian luxury streetwear brand kicked off the 60th Venice Biennale by opening its ambitious art and culture space, aiming to inspire the next generation.

Who wears Golden Goose shoes? ›

Both celebrities and influencers, like Berlin's Mandy Bork, can't get enough for the distressed Golden Goose sneakers. Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, and Hilary Duff have all been spotted wearing the Italian shoe brand's scruffy sneakers, its grunge-inspired Superstar model a favorite among the rich and famous.

Who owns Golden Goose? ›

Permira

What happened in the Golden Goose story? ›

The farmer killed the golden goose as he and his wife thought that many golden eggs were inside the goose. As they cut open the goose there were no golden eggs and the bird had died. This taught an important lesson to the farmer and his wife that greed is a bad thing and can result in loss.

What is the saying about the golden goose? ›

The tale has given rise to the idiom 'killing the goose that lays the golden eggs', which refers to the short-sighted destruction of a valuable resource, or to an unprofitable action motivated by greed.

What does the goose with the golden egg mean? ›

or to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. phrase [Vs inflect] If someone kills the goose that lays the golden egg, they harm or destroy the person or thing that gives them their money, power, or advantage.

What is the golden goose and other stories about? ›

Three brothers go to cut wood. The two older brothers come home with nothing, but the youngest one, Dummling, has a day of surprises. A new friend gives him a bird with golden feathers. The golden goose leads Dummling through many adventures, until he finds a beautiful but serious princess, who never smiles or laughs.

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