Golden Goose is an Italian shoemaker that specializes in making distressed sneakers.
You might think that something that looks like it’s used may not fetch a high price, but Golden Goose sneakers will surprise you.
They’re actually very expensive.
On average, Golden Goose sneakers cost around $400 to $700.
That’s a lot of money for a pair of sneakers that look as though they’ve trekked through mud or hit the local skating park.
That’s because the shoe designs take inspiration from the skating parks popular in California.
They’re not unlike distressed jeans that have holes in them or obvious wear.
If you’re wondering why a pair of shoes from Golden Goose cost so much, there are a few factors that impact its price.
Here are 10 reasons Golden Goose sneakers cost so much.
Why Are Golden Goose Sneakers So Expensive? (Top 10 Reasons)
1. Handmade
One of the reasons Golden Goose sneakers are expensive is that they’re all handmade.
Golden Goose is a shoe brand that’s based in Italy.
Like any other product that comes from Italy, a lot of attention to detail goes into the production of its goods.
Golden Goose sneakers are no different.
Each pair of shoes that someone buys has gone through a laborious process by someone’s hands.
Even the distressing of the shoe is done by hand.
Unlike other shoe companies that pay their employees a pittance, Italians take care of their workers.
They pay them a living wage and ensure they’re cared for.
This also means that it costs more for them to make each shoe.
It takes skill to stitch and create a shoe by hand.
However, the results speak for themselves.
Handmade sneakers are often the best around for style and comfort.
The process of making products by hand is also slower.
This impacts the price in a few different ways.
For one, it means that the workers need to work more hours to complete a shoe.
That means it costs more to make a shoe since they have to pay the worker for their time.
It also means that fewer shoes leave the Golden Goose factory a day than in an automated factory.
Since they’re only able to produce a small number of shoes a day, the supply for the sneakers is always low.
With a high demand for the pair of sneakers, it increases the price for the ones that are available.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they’re handmade.
2. The Distressing Process
Being handmade isn’t the only reason that Golden Goose sneakers are expensive.
The fact that they’re distressed also adds to the cost of making the shoe.
This, in turn, makes the shoe expensive.
There are several ways that Golden Goose distresses their shoes.
Skid marks are among the most popular.
You’ll also see folded tabs, muddy tracks, and even grass stains.
The idea is to emulate the type of distressing that’s so popular in other types of apparel like denim.
Since they take their design ideas from skate parks in California, it also only makes sense that the shoes have distress on them.
Skateboarders put a lot of wear and tear on their shoes when they’re out skating.
The idea is to make the shoe look as though it had a life before reaching your door.
That said, none of these shoes have actually been used.
They just look used.
Being distressed makes Golden Goose sneakers more expensive for a few reasons.
One of those reasons is the fact that it takes more work and time to distress each shoe.
It’s another step in the manufacturing process that the workers have to perform.
Since the shoes are handmade, each worker has to manually distress the shoe.
Besides costing the company in materials to do this, it also costs them money since their workers need payment.
It also takes more time to finish the shoe.
Time means money.
Another reason distressing the shoe makes it more expensive is the unique nature of the shoe.
People who like the distressed aesthetic in fashion are willing to pay more for distressed shoes.
It completes a style for them.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because of their distressed look.
3. Uniqueness
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that Golden Goose sneakers are expensive is their uniqueness.
No two shoes are the same.
Even a pair of shoes isn’t identical.
There are subtle differences in their distressing that make each one as unique as human fingerprints.
For example, one shoe might have more color to the distressing than the other.
Another might have a slightly different pattern.
The skid mark along one shoe might be shorter on the other shoe or not even exist at all.
Golden Goose does this deliberately.
For one, it’s because the shoes are handmade.
It’s impossible for someone to do the same thing over and over again.
Human error will always persist.
Instead of trying to cover that up, the company embraces it.
They call it “Imperfection in perfection.”
It’s a selling point that seems to work.
People tend to love uniqueness when it comes to sneakers.
They invoke an individual’s personality and sense of style.
Those with an eye for fashion dread the idea of wearing something mass-produced that anyone can buy.
Instead, they thrive with unique apparel that matches their own personality or style.
This is something that Golden Goose easily delivers.
No pair of shoes is ever the same as others.
Its uniqueness, along with being a great selling point, also explains why it’s so expensive.
It takes more time and money to make the shoes unique.
Because they’re unique, the shoes are also in high demand.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they’re wholly unique.
4. Calfskin Leather
The type of materials that Golden Goose uses to make its shoes also add to their expense.
Italian apparel products have a reputation for using the best leather.
Golden Goose sneakers are no exception.
The primary leather used in the production of their shoes is calfskin leather.
This type of leather is expensive because it comes from calves.
Not every calf can supply leather, however.
Italy has extremely high standards for the quality of its leather.
The calf has to be in great health and has to be a certain age before it’s slaughtered for its skin.
Farmers take on a great amount of expense to keep their calves at their healthiest.
The healthier the calf is, the better its skin, and thus, the better its leather.
Since it takes a lot of money to make calfskin leather, it also sells for an expensive price.
Golden Goose likely spends a lot of money to buy calfskin leather to make their shoes.
This type of leather has a reputation for being durable while still maintaining a type of softness that is pleasant to touch.
It’s great for luxury shoes that are actually worn outside and still provide great comfort for their wearers.
Since their shoes are also handmade, there are bound to be accidents or mistakes during the production of a shoe.
This might end up wasting the leather.
As a result, the company has to buy more and add to the expense of a shoe.
To ensure such mistakes have financial coverage, they also place the price point to cover these costs.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they use calfskin leather in their production.
5. Premium Cotton Laces
Another aspect that makes Golden Goose sneakers more expensive is the fact that it uses premium cotton laces.
Some shoemakers will choose to cut costs by buying standard cotton or other materials to make their laces.
Since they only sit on top of the shoe and don’t provide comfort to the wearer, these companies don’t have a problem with using low-quality laces for their shoes.
However, the low-quality materials quickly show their value after only a few years.
They become stained, start to lose their integrity, and can even start to rip apart.
Golden Goose doesn’t cut costs when it comes to their laces.
If anything, they add even more cost to their shoes by investing in premium cotton.
High-quality cotton is tough and comfortable.
They make great laces because they feel great, look great, and last for a long time.
Considering that laces see a lot of use, what with tying and untying them each time you put on the shoes, durability matters.
Once laces start to wear out, you either need to replace the laces or replace the shoe.
Golden Goose wants to ensure that your laces last as long as your shoe does.
The laces are also carefully threaded through the shoe by their workers.
The result is laces that look incredible, feel great against your fingers, and provide a taut structure for the shoe.
You don’t have to worry about slipping out of them due to low-quality laces.
Premium cotton is, as one might expect, the most expensive type of cotton available.
It’s more expensive because it costs more to nourish the soil and grow cotton that’s high in quality.
It’s also in high demand.
Luxury apparel makers everywhere want the best cotton for their products.
Since demand is high but supply is usually low, the price of premium cotton is quite high.
The added cost forces Golden Goose to increase its price to cover it.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because of their use of premium cotton laces.
6. Loopback Cotton Toweling Material
It’s not only the laces that use premium cotton either.
One of the unique features of Golden Goose sneakers that adds to its price is its loopback cotton toweling in the interior of the shoe.
Some shoemakers will use leather or suede for the interior of the shoe.
Golden Goose does something different.
They use a loopback cotton toweling material to make an interior that helps regulate the temperature of your feet.
When it’s warm outside, it helps keep your feet cooler.
When it’s cold outside, it helps keep your feet warmer.
Not only does this make the shoe more comfortable to wear, but it also means you can wear them in any type of weather.
They also reduce how sweaty your feet become.
This is ideal for skateboarders, who generate a lot of heat while skateboarding, and anyone else who wears shoes for an extended amount of time.
The cooling and heating feature of the material ensures that your feet are always comfortable.
This added feature of the shoe doesn’t come cheap, however.
Golden Goose has to buy more high-quality materials to accomplish this feat.
Then their workers have to skillfully create the interior of the shoe with the material.
It ends up making the shoe cost more to make.
To cover the cost, Golden Goose has to set an expensive price for the shoe.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they use a loopback cotton toweling material for the inner lining of their sneakers.
7. Sneaker Height
Besides their appearance, Golden Goose sneakers also have a reputation for making the wearer taller.
They’re sometimes called the “high heels” of sneakers.
That’s because the shoe uses a tall leather insole.
The insole is especially large near the heel area, then slowly flattens out near the toes.
This design also took inspiration from the skate scene in California.
Skaters regularly have to use the positioning of their feet and toes to steer the skateboard in the direction they want to go.
The leather insole can easily add around an inch of height when wearing them.
This makes the shoe more expensive in a few different ways.
Perhaps the most obvious is that it requires more materials.
If the insole were flat, then the company could get away with using very little leather to create it.
Since it’s taller, it needs more material to fill the insole and ensure it has enough structure and support for comfort.
Since it uses more materials, it costs more to make.
Another reason is that a lot of people enjoy how tall it makes them.
This increases the demand for the shoe which drives up the price.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they have a tall, leather, insole.
8. New Designs Every Year
Golden Goose doesn’t simply make the same shoe every year.
They offer a few different styles of shoes, but every year, they go back to the drawing board to determine the design of the next shoe.
This means things like the color, art, and even the distressing will change from year to year.
That makes their shoes expensive because it means their customers always have a new pair to buy.
Even if they enjoy the pair that they have, they might discover a new design that they like more.
It also means that they’re unable to automate anything that they make.
Even if they did automate parts of their production, they’d have to change it each year because of the differences in designs.
Instead, their workers have to understand the different designs and create the shoe accordingly.
This means that the company has to buy new materials every year.
They’re unable to buy materials in bulk that might last them a few years because the next year’s design is going to be different.
Since they make new changes every year, it ends up making their production more costly.
As a result, they have to raise the price of the shoe to cover the cost of production.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they change the design of their shoes every year.
9. Collectible
Sneakers are a collector’s item.
From Air Jordans to Kanye West’s shoe line, there are many collectors out there.
Golden Goose sneakers are also collectible.
They’re collectible for a few reasons.
The first is due to how unique they are.
Collectors can all buy the same style and design, but each one is going to have a different pair of shoes.
That makes the shoes they have extremely valuable.
Also, because Golden Goose changes the design of their shoes every year, there’s always a new sneaker to collect.
Since they’re all handmade, the company can only produce so many shoes a year.
That means there’s a limited supply of them every year.
Since there’s a limited supply, only a few people can get their hands on them.
Collectors want rare shoes.
Golden Goose sneakers are the perfect opportunity to collect extremely rare shoes.
Being collectible always makes goods more expensive because there’s a lot of demand for them.
Every collector wants that perfect collection that can earn them a lot of money down the line.
Since it increases the demand for the shoe, the price for it increases.
Because Golden Goose sneakers are collectible, they’re also expensive.
10. Comfort
A final reason Golden Goose sneakers are expensive is how comfortable they are.
Everyone knows that the comfort of a shoe plays a big role in deciding whether or not to buy it.
Because people place a high value on the comfort of a shoe, it also means they’re willing to pay more for a shoe that is comfortable to wear.
Golden Goose knows this, so part of their distressing procedure is to open the shoe up.
Everyone has experienced blisters from a new pair of shoes.
Because the shoe hasn’t opened up yet, it clings to your foot and often causes blisters to form.
Golden Goose skips that step because these shoes are already opened up.
The result is an incredibly comfortable shoe that rarely causes blisters.
It costs a bit more time for the company to make their shoes this comfortable.
Since it costs them money, you can be sure that they’ll add to it the price of the shoe.
Golden Goose sneakers are expensive because they’re incredibly comfortable.
Conclusion
Golden Goose sneakers have a reputation for being unique, comfortable, and using high-quality materials.
They’re luxury shoes with a unique twist that also come with a luxury price tag.
Although they cost a lot of money, the quality of their materials ensures that the shoe will last a long time.
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