Just months after Italian shoe brand Golden Goose was called out for selling US$530 (AU$745) distressed sneakers that looked to be held together with tape, Gucci has followed suit with a AU$1,175 iteration of its own from its spring/summer 2019 collection.
Complete with a bi-colour outsole, green panels of leather, and a terry-cloth trim, Gucci’s Screener sneaker is also available in a crystal-embellished edition that you can shop now if you happen to have a spare AU$2,015 lying around.
While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen brands including including Balenciaga, Hood By Air and Vetements take the ugly sneaker trend to a whole new level, it is necessary to note that Gucci’s take on the old-school trainer retails at a total of AU$1,175.
You might find yourself asking why someone would willingly fork over almost $1,200 for dirty shoes? Per US Vogue, Wellesley College assistant professor of psychology Angela Bahns has the answer.
Image: Kevin Tachman
“Our research found that having neat and tidy shoes tends to correlate with the person being anxious, conscientious, or politically conservative,” she told the publication. “So the choice to use dirty shoes on the runway might be an effort to portray an image of being calm, not uptight, or politically liberal.”
However, while this may in fact be the case, the trend has managed to offend those who find it only serves to contribute to the glorification of poverty. And when Golden Goose’s AU$745 edition hit stands in 2018, Twitter also erupted with a slew of memes.
“I think peak capitalism is selling shoes characteristic of those who can’t afford new ones for $530,” wrote one user at the time.
“Are people really out here paying $500 for brand new shoes that look worn out…bc if so I got some fire for you guys for a cheap price of $400,” wrote another.
As for how the Gucci’s Screener sneaker, which is now available for purchase both in store and online, will be received, only time will tell.
This article originally appeared at Vogue.com.au
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