Expensive taped-up trainers costing £400 are accused of glorifying poverty
![[Photo: Golden Goose]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YnHCGfdilExLffWGofHXuA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUyMw--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/10802983489c86d5b3b84d7173c5e304)
Remember the days when scuffing up your brand new white kicks before wearing them for that worn-in look was practically mandatory?
For years there’s been a market for super distressed fashion, be that in the form of your favourite ripped jeans or frayed t-shirt. Lately, however, designer brands have been taking the distressed look more literally, offering up trainers with fake dirt marks (hey, Balenciaga) and ‘caked-on mud effect’ jeans (thanks for that, PRPS).
Love or hate distressed fashion, we draw the line at the most recent trainers drop that’s had everyone talking: trainers featuring dirt marks, frayed laces and actual tape wrapped around the sole.
we’ve already got a problem if any clothing description says “crumply, hold-it-all tape details a sneaker” but it’s even bigger when that sneaker costs $530!!!!!!!!1111!!!!!111!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/yngTTyVVQ2
— joon (@joonlee) September 19, 2018
No, these aren’t a hero piece pulled directly from Zoolander’s Derelicte range, but in fact actual trainers sold by designer label Golden Goose.
On the brand’s website, the shoes are described as featuring “crumply hold-it-all-together tape details” with a “grungy rubber cupsole”. What’s more is that they cost a ridiculous £402 ($530).
Aside from being an offence to fashion, many are calling out the trainers for being literally offensive to people in poverty.
After the style was posted to Twitter, a conversation sparked around whether the distressed-look kicks were actually glorifying poverty.
“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, [sic]” one user wrote.
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. https://t.co/h3RAKmiY5d
— brooke🌻 (@broookedanielle) September 19, 2018
Another vented “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*cking stupid it p*sses me off like what the actual hell ??????! [sic]“
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 fucking stupid it pisses me off like what the actual hell ??????! https://t.co/8kOB37zyMJ
— Christine Sydelko (@csydelko) September 19, 2018
Another user took it upon themselves to Google the beat-up trainers only to discover Golden Goose’s entire range of them. “Like cool let’s mock poverty [sic],” they wrote.
I just checked and apparently there’s a whole line. Like ok cool let’s mock poverty pic.twitter.com/WKhF15gRGG
— Eliza T. ⚰🦇 (@lizalove91) September 19, 2018
Fashion has certainly taken a silly turn in the last few years, with troll-worthy launches appearing to be the order of the day.
Brands appear to be capitalising on the sharability of a mockable drops, offering up everything from seven-layer coats, to t-shirt shirt hybrids, Alphabet magnet earrings, inflatable coats, crop tops for men and strapless jackets.
While there’s a high chance Golden Goose could be following suit with its latest launch, we can’t help but thinking they’ve maybe over stepped the mark this time.
What are you thoughts?
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Read more from Yahoo Style UK:
ASOS is selling a crop top for men, and opinions range from horror to awe
Balenciaga mocked online for selling £6,000 seven-layer coat
