Golden Goose: $600 Authentic or $150 FAKE? (2024)

Last Updated on May 3, 2024 by Ch David

This is the ultimate guide on spotting fake GGDB sneakers.

Related: Golden Goose Mid Star.

How to authenticate Golden Goose

To authenticate your Golden Goose shoes, check the text on the insole. Fake pairs always have their “GOLDEN GOOSE” inscription thinner.

1. Corner stitching

Authentic:

1. The toe box corner stitching on the authentic Golden Goose sneakers appears more pronounced and well-defined.
2. The authentic pair has fewer stitches, contributing to a cleaner and more refined appearance.

Fake:

1. The toe box corner stitching on the fake Golden Goose sneakers looks less prominent and lacks the precision of the authentic version.
2. The fake pair features more stitches, giving the impression of lower quality craftsmanship compared to the authentic sneakers.

Finding it too hard? Reach out to our GGDB experts:

2. Heel stitching

Authentic:

1. The stitching on the authentic Golden Goose shoes is less obvious and blends more seamlessly with the leather.
2. Stitches on the authentic pair are typically stitched deeper into the leather, resulting in a smoother appearance.

Fake:

1. On the fake Golden Goose shoes, the stitching is more prominent and easily visible.
2. Threads on the fake pair are not stitched as deeply into the leather, leading to a less refined look.

3. Rear text

Over here, we have the “GOLDEN GOOSE / DE” text.

Authentic:

1. The “GOLDEN GOOSE / DE” text on the authentic shoes is appropriately sized.
2. The print on the chrome patch is proportionate in width on the authentic pair.

Fake:

1. The “GOLDEN GOOSE / DE” text on the fake shoes is too small in dimensions, deviating from the authentic size.
2. The print on the chrome patch is too wide on the fake pair, contrasting with the proportions of the authentic version.

This flaw is the most visible on the fake Golden Goose sneakers on the “D” in the word GOLDEN, and on the “OO” in the word GOOSE. These letters are too thick.

3. Cross stitching

The main problem with the stitching on the side of the fake shoes is the arching and the curviness of the line of stitching.

• The fake Golden Goose sneakers have the stitching line on the centre part of the sneakers too curvy and arched.

The thing is that an authentic pair’s line of stitching curves more suddenly than the fake one. Essentially, the fake pair’s cross-stitching curves too slowly.

A quick mention:

• The steps we’ve written so far are the BEST ways to authenticate this item
• The next few steps are still reliable methods…
• … but they apply to non-top-versions of replicas available for this item

If in doubt, we recommend double-checking the steps we’ve explained above this line.

4. Perforations

Authentic:

1. The three dots on the authentic Golden Goose shoes are aligned correctly.
2. The spacing between the dots is consistent and regular on the authentic pair.

Fake:

1. On the fake Golden Goose shoes, the three dots are misaligned.
2. There is irregular spacing between the dots, with less space between the left and middle dots, and too much space between the middle and right dots.

5. Distressing

• On the toe box, the distressed lines look more hand-made than the legit ones.

By handmade, we mean that the fake Golden Goose pair of sneakers looks like it has a mathematical pattern, while the legit distresses look more natural and random.

6. Star

• There is worse quality in how the star was glued on the edge of it.
• The fake Golden Goose shoes look more frayed than the authentic ones at the edges.

The authentic GGDB Star is stitched properly onto the shoes. All of the edges are stitched without coming out of the leather.

7. Insole

Authentic:

1. The “SUPERSTAR” text on the authentic shoes is appropriately sized and spaced from the edges of the black rectangle.
2. Text below the Golden Goose logo and the “GOLDEN GOOSE DELUXE BRAND VENEZIA” text on the authentic pair maintains proper proportions and thickness.
3. The “MADE IN ITALY” text on the authentic pair is smaller and fits proportionately.

Fake:

1. The “SUPERSTAR” text on the fake shoes is oversized and nearly touches the edges of the black rectangle.
2. Similarly, text below the Golden Goose logo and the “GOLDEN GOOSE DELUXE BRAND VENEZIA” text on the fake pair are too thick and oversized.
3. The “MADE IN ITALY” text on the fake pair is larger than on the authentic pair, lacking proper proportions.

Shortlist: Spot fake Golden Goose in 30 seconds

1. Check the stitching on the corner of the toe box. Usually, the fake Golden Goose sneakers have this stitching rarer than the legit pairs.
2. Analyze the stitching on the heel of your Golden Goose. The fake stitching on the heel fits less deeply into the sneakers and it is more obvious to the eye.
3. Check the rear “GOLDEN GOOSE / DE” text. Usually, the fake text is too small and too wide, and this can be easily spotted when you have our real vs fake Golden Goose sneakers comparison pictures side-to-side.
4. Verify the three dots on the side of the sneakers. Usually, there is too much distance between these three dots and they are misaligned. The legit pairs have the distance between these three dots equal.
5. Analyze the distressing on your Golden Goose shoes. The legit Golden Goose pairs have the distressing looking more natural than the fake pairs that have the distressing looking more hand-made.
6. Check the edges of the star on your Golden Goose pair. The fake pairs are usually more frayed and they are less glued to stay secure on the sneakers.
7. Verify the insoles of your GGDB shoes. Mainly, the fake insoles have every text looking too big.

Use this list whenever you’re on the go.

Expert Golden Goose authentication service

• Send Quality Photos: Provide good-quality pictures of your Golden Goose sneakers.
• Response Time: Expect a reply within 24 to 48 hours.
• Detailed Report: Receive a report explaining the authenticity of your sneakers, including reasons if they are deemed fake.

Need our opinion on your item’s authenticity? It’s a service we provide.

Get a fully-detailed report for why you have a real or fake item. Takes less than 48 hours!

Alternatively, use our free resources: written guides and video tutorials.

Thank you for reading this,

Ch Daniel and Ch David