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Luxury brand Golden Goose accused of 'glorifying poverty' with £428 battered trainers

The shoes were criticised as 'glorifying poverty': Nordstrom
The shoes were criticised as 'glorifying poverty': Nordstrom

A luxury fashion brand has been accused of “glorifying poverty” for selling £428 trainers designed to look worn out.

A leading anti-poverty charity branded the Golden Goose brand “awful” for the design which features a piece of “tape” purportedly holding the shoe in place.

The product description for the trainers reads: “Crumply, hold-it-all-together tape details a distressed leather sneaker in a retro low profile with a signature sidewall star and a grungy rubber cupsole.”

Critics accused Golden Goose of “glorifying poverty” and said that the design was “peak capitalism”.

The shoes have been priced at £428 (Nordstrom)
The shoes have been priced at £428 (Nordstrom)

And Val Huxley, founder of the People against Poverty charity, told the Standard: “We work day in, day out, with poverty. Families are just existing. It’s shocking that a fashion company can do a play on this and this it’s OK. They are awful.

“I go to Romania on our projects and we tell our people to only give away clothes or shoes they themselves would wear, or give their own children to wear. If someone had picked these sneakers, they would have gone on the fire pit.”

Of the price tag, she added: “I would say give your £428 to charity instead, and if you want that look, stick tape around the trainers you already have.”

The trainers are described as
The trainers are described as

Paul van Haver, a trustee of the charity, added: “What tone does this set in the fashion industry? For people with no money, what does it make this part of society feel like? That’s OK for rich people to pay this money?

“Something is really wrong.”

American comedian Christine Sydelko led the condemnation of Golden Goose on social media. She tweeted: "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 fashion industry is truly so f****** stupid."

Another user, @brookedanielle, tweeted: "Okay maybe I'm being dramatic but I remember seeing kids getting harassed and made fun of endlessly in school for having shoes that looked like this. This is extremely distasteful."

Jacob Moore added: "I think peak capitalism is selling shoes characteristic of those who can’t afford new ones for $530."

However, Claudia Dayani defended the brand, saying "the distressed look is Golden Goose’s signature".

The Standard has approached Golden Goose, which has two London stores, for comment.