Golden Goose sneakers are an acquired taste, but once you acquire it, you tend to keep coming back to the brand for the rest of your sneaker-buying life. The brand's cotton laces are now made from organic cotton, and the brand has been working on a recycled-cotton version that is expected to launch in 2026. The brand has been expanding its direct-to-consumer business aggressively over the last several years, with the goal of having the majority of sales happen through its Golden Goose Website own retail and e-commerce channels. The brand's distress pattern is intentionally varied across the upper, with the toe box typically showing more wear than the heel, which is consistent with how real shoes actually age. Crystal embellishments are a recurring detail in the women's line, and the brand has a specific technique for hand-applying crystals that does not damage the underlying leather. The brand's sanding process is done by hand with fine-grit sandpaper, and the goal is to remove the top layer of the finish in a way that looks like natural wear rather than factory aging. The brand's laces are designed to be replaced, and the brand sells replacement laces in several colors for buyers who want to refresh the look of an older pair. The brand's newer silhouettes, including the Dad Star and the Why Not, are built on slightly different lasts, which means the fit can vary slightly from the flagship models. The brand's most-resold collaboration was with a major fashion house, and the resale prices are now several times the original retail price. The brand's leather is now sourced from tanneries that have been certified by the Leather Working Group, which is the industry standard for responsible leather production. The most photogenic thing about Golden Goose is the patina, which is the brand's signature look and which is the result of the multi-step hand-finishing process that happens in the Italian studios.