There was an outcry on social media last week when Gucci released a new pair of sneakers called, The Screener. On the website, they advertise these trainers as “vintage” and that they have a “distressed effect”. They are selling four different versions: two for men and two for women.
Gucci has been taking part on a spiraling trend for dirty-looking shoes. These shoes sparked major backlash on Twitter. Few say that this is harmless and it looks ‘cool’. But most have been accusing them of “commercializing poverty”. Now, what does this mean? In simpler terms, designers like Gucci have been using the concept dirty and beat up shoes that have been roughed up and possibly old– as an aesthetic. Then, they sell said shoes for a ton of money. The irony is found in the fact that poeple who actually own dirty old pairs of shoes, cannot afford the ones with the deisgner labels on them.
The Screener with a chain, $1590
Gucci is not the only brand that has been on the hot seat. Recently, Twitter also lashed out on another italian brand–Golden Goose– after releasing a new pair of shoes: Superstar Taped Sneaker.
Image by Nordstrom