The 14 Best Golden Goose Sneaker Alternatives
And like Golden Goose, the distressed Low 1s serve up that straight and low-profile silhouette, and come in multiple colorways. These range from standard white to much louder options.
The Stingray features pebbled leather which works well with the distressing, since the aging effect gets in the cracks. The Shamrock has sophisticated wool-like canvas sides, which creates an interesting contrast with the worn soles and suede O.
Meanwhile, the Ghost is basically just a standard white, except it has a red contrast stitch, an example of just how nuanced the wide-ranging colorways can get.
Oliver Cabell shoes are built with full grain calfskin leather, and they’re lasted and hand-stitched in Marche, a region in Italy known for its generations-long shoemaking tradition.
Not too shabby considering the distressed Low 1s are half the price of Golden Goose shoes, less than half for several variations.
The molded insoles and soft padded collar and tongue are really comfortable, and the sizing impressively goes all the way down to a 6 and all the way up to a 15. Half-sizes aren’t available, and the consensus is that you should size up if you’re between sizes.
AllSaints Sheer Low Top Sneaker
British retailer AllSaints is known for having a vintage, rock and roll, and even goth-friendly slant. When ever-subversive distressed sneakers came into vogue, it was inevitable they’d get in the game.
Other than the $300 price drop, there are two immediately noticeable differences between Golden Goose sneakers and the AllSaints Sheer Low Tops. First off, the AllSaints are pretty basic, and therefore much more versatile.
The only branding on these shoes are thin flaps attached to the eyestays. Second, they only feature a touch of distressing, mainly showcased on the rubber outsole.
The uppers are fully made of cow leather, while the linings are 100% goat leather, which is lighter and more supple than cow hides. They come in white and chalk white, both with a black contrasting black panel. They also come in black, but the distressing isn’t as prominent on it.
