Fashion’s New (Insane) Trend: Pre-Scuffed Sneakers That Cost $620

This Golden Goose Deluxe Brand checked metallic leather sneaker retails for $620 on Net-a-Porter.com

Ripped jeans have long been a fashion staple, becoming a best-selling trademark for labels like Balmain, Saint Laurent, and this season, Alexander McQueen. But though style junkies have no problem spending hundreds on sublimely shredded denim, they’ve now got another way to look perfectly unkempt: pre-scuffed designer sneakers.

This week on Net-a-Porter, Barneys, and Shopbop, a new range from Golden Goose Deluxe Brand debuted with “distressed” soles, stained leather, and knotted laces. Their retail price: upwards of $400.

But is this a newly emerging trend in the luxury sector… or a simple case of The Emperor Has No Street Wear? We asked Sarah Rutson, Net-a-Porter’s Vice President of Global Buying and a street style muse herself, for an explanation.

“This particular sneaker stands out from a pure white sneaker because of its immediate vintage look,” Rutson told Yahoo Style via email. “Each shoe is brushed and waxed by hand, achieving just the right amount of perceived wear and tear. We have seen so much ‘brand new, fresh-out-of-the-box sparkling white sneakers’ in the past two seasons that actually having a distressed pair offers a fresh approach and makes them seem more custom…It gives everything a perceived ‘less thought out’ approach, and just simply looking lived-in makes it look like it’s your beloved old sneaker that you just cannot stop wearing. That makes it seem stylish and precious and, of course, heavy on style with comfort.”

Rutson recommends pairing the scuffed sneakers with “a tailored pantsuit or a skirt and button-down shirt…” an admittedly chic suggestion that fashion bloggers everywhere will probably take to heart (and, of course, to Instagram).

But if you’re not prepared to retire your gleaming white Stan Smiths just yet, try this: Wear them in the rain, jump in some puddles, and twirl on a grimy sidewalk for good measure. Your sneakers will be roughed up enough for the trend… but with some elbow grease and a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, you can clean them back up anytime.

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