Welcome 2021 and welcome to my blog if you are are new here! If you are an old friend, please holler by commenting below on my blog! It’s so good to see you guys again! What a crazy and insane world we lived in last year 2020. I mean if you had told me I’d ever witness a global pandemic, I would think you were nuts as that type of thing happens in the movies and in history books we learn about. Well, here we are in year 2 of Covid and hoping for some relief with the development of the vaccine. Keep your fingers crossed guys!
Well I know you aren’t here to read about pandemics-haha, so let’s keep moving foward with my comparison of Golden Goose Superstar Sneakers vs Veja Sneakers! So here we go!
Golden Goose-History
IG’s beloved distressed sneakers are one of the most sought after shoes for the past few years. Why? With sneakers quickly becoming the go to for foot apparel especially now in the era of casual attire, hoodies, and leggings, making a statement is everything!
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand (GGDB) is an Italian brand founded in 2000 in Venice. Each pair is unique and hand crafted by artisans so that no 2 pairs are alike. I can attest to that as I tried on 3 or 4 pairs of the same style and different colors and they do fit very slightly different. GG has a permanent collection including the style I own and they also have seasonal designs. Once the seasonal style is sold out, there will never be an exact replica of the same design. This helps to retain the value of GG sneakers and also the demand in check.
Golden Goose Super Star Sneakers (here, here, here)
Tweed Jacket | Light Denim | Silk Tank | Chanel Boy WOC | Golden Goose
Golden Goose-Quality and Pricing
I purchased the Super-Star style with a gray suede star, gray laces, and a black heel tab. The retail price for this sneaker is the lowest of all the Super-Star styles at $495, but I have seen them range from $495 to upward of $765 depending on materials. I purchased mine in Florence, Italy in 2019 for around $350 after VAT back taxes and obviously it was an amazing price. I have seen some sales on other styles in the past so if you are open to seasonal styles, you must snatch them up quickly for your size.
As far as quality, the leather is indeed VERY lux and soft for sneakers. I love the suede as it feels much nicer than any shoe brand. The leather is very breathable and I tend to have sweaty feet (TMI-lol) especially in the summer and these breathe very well. Side note: I don’t wear socks with my sneakers except when exercising. The rubber sole is high quality and the distressing is on point. I believe the pricing is on par with the quality.
Golden Goose-Fit and Comfort
GG are TTS (true to size). This section will be difficult to judge as I wear a size 6.5 or 36.5 and have wide feet. Since GG is only sold in whole sizes, this is where the downfall and comfort/discomfort occurs for me. If you are a true whole size, you may have a better fit.
Not many people talk about the elevated insole in the shoe in detail so read on as I have NEVER seen a wedge like this inside any sneaker! The Super-Stars have a wedge like insole that is removeable and pushes the foot forward like a lift. This wedge is about 2″ tall near the heel and takes up space in the shoe. I measured from the bottom to the top of the curved part where your ankle bone would sit. This measures about 3″ which makes the shoe much shallower leaving 1″ for my foot which isn’t much. I tend to lift out of this shoe.
For me since I am a true 36.5 I was forced to pick between 36 and 37. In size 37, I walked straight out of it so my only option is size 36. I have wide feet as well so the combination of the wedge pushing my foot towards the top of the shoe and forward made it slightly uncomfortable. Where the top seams meet the side of the rubber presses onto my small and big toes. I tried on 3-4 different pairs and same result.
I ended up taking the insole out altogether and added a thinner flat insole. It works for now but wearing more than 3-4 hours is not truly comfortable for me. Also since the wedge ate up 1.5″ of space, I think maybe a taller insert or doubled insert to raise it maybe 1/2″ would help give it more cushion.
Golden Goose-Final Thoughts
YES, I am glad I purchased these sneakers as I truly think that they are just so cool and add a bit of flair and edge to any outfit. Plus the added distressing makes these shoes no stress since they are already “dirty” looking so I don’t worry about ruining them over time. Would I buy another pair of Super-Stars? Unfortunately due to my poor fit, I would say no. But I would consider other styles as the Ball style looks cool and might be a better fit for my foot. Should you buy it? I’d say 100% try them on in different styles as the quality is there! See if they are comfy on you. If they are right out of the box, I say YES get them.
Where to buy: Nordstrom, Ssense, Farfetch, Bloomingdales
Veja Campos Sneakers (here, here, here)
Veja Sneakers-Background
Veja started making an impact on IG more recently in popularity over the past few year-most notable as worn by Meghan Markle. Did you know Veja spends $0 on marketing? That’s an amazing feat for an emerging brand! Founded in 2005, “Veja” Portuguese-Brazilian for “look” is a French brand with a passion for sustainability including use of recycled corn waste, plastics, banana oil, and sugar cane. They use such creatives means such as tapping into the Amazon rainforest for wild rubber latex for the soles, pesticide free organic cotton, and paying fair wages to people around the world. If that isn’t something to feel good about, I don’t know what is!
Veja-Quality and Pricing
Funny I never win anything, but I won $150 credit on Italist and decided to try these Campo Chromefree sneakers. The rubber sole has held up nicely over the 9 months that I’ve owned the shoes. The leather is good quality. It’s not nearly the lux quality as Golden Goose but it isn’t the same price tag. I have noticed that my white leather still remains white which speaks volumes. Read more about their leather here. I would say my feet do tend to sweat more as the leather isn’t as breathable.
What does Chromefree mean? To tan leather, chrome and heavy metals are used which are toxic for the environment. Brazil is the leader in Chromefree leather.
Campos retail for $145 which is a great price for sustainable leather. Fun fact: 1/3 of all Veja styles are actually 100% vegan.
Sweater Blazer | White Tee (similar)
YSL Toy Lou Lou| Black Leggings | Veja
Veja-Fit and Comfort
Veja Campos run 1/2 size bigger which is why I feel they are more comfortable on me. I wear size 6.5 or 36.5 and bought size 36 which fit me perfectly. I find them to be very comfortable and very stylish. My feet do sweat slightly in these shoes but I find walking in them for 8 hours is completely acceptable. They are wide feet friendly and I have read about the tongue issues on other styles like the Esplar but these Campos are super comfy straight out the box with no break in period.
Veja-Final Thoughts
Would I buy another pair of Campos? Absolutely! I would like to try a fabric style next since breathability would be slightly better. I love the simple and contrasting styles that make them stand out. The price point is very good for a unique style compared to GG. I highly recommend the brand as I love their sustainable mission and I think some velcro fastener ones would be pretty cool!
Where to buy: Nordstrom, Zappos, Bloomingdales
Pros and Cons Recap
Pros- Golden Goose
- Luxurious leather
- Each one is handcrafted by an artisan for a unique look
- Distinct distressed styling
- Breathability
Cons-Golden Goose
- High price point
- Poor fit for those who are true half sizes
Pros-Veja
- Comfortable out of the box
- Distinct styling
- Sustainable and environmentally friendly
- Good price point
Cons-Veja
- Leather is not as breathable
- Might not fit well on those who wear full sizes
Now after reading my review of both Golden Goose and Veja sneakers, tell me if you are going to buy a pair and which ones! I’d love to know!