HUMAN BEINGS ARE not perfect, so why should luxury goods be? That seems to be the mantra of Golden Goose. When you come across this Venetian luxury footwear brand, you will find sneakers that look ‘lived in’ — scuffed, worn, distressed, or with scratches and cracks like in Japanese Kintsugi art. These handmade sneakers with their unique imperfections — including their iconic star logo patches on the sides, made to look imperfect with partially-hidden or obscured points — reflect Golden Goose’s philosophy of imperfections.

“If you really want to position yourself as a loved brand, you will have to address your values and missions from every place on the earth... Everyone can look at the star... or everyone can be a star,” says Golden Goose global CEO Silvio Campara. “But on our products, I am cutting the star... because it will make you feel like a person who feels imperfect. That element of imperfection is telling you, ‘hey, you may feel you are not perfect; embrace the journey of life and shift this feeling of imperfection to your own uniqueness’,” he says, adding that the message is powerful. “That’s why I created this concept where people can go into our stores and create something by themselves.”

Clearly, this formula is working well for the brand. In 12 years, revenues have multiplied exponentially, as have the number of employees. “Twelve years ago, when I acquired this brand, it had an annual revenue of €20 million and a staff strength of 17. Now we’re projecting more than €800 million, with over 2,800 employees,” says Campara. “Business, by definition, is the marriage of numbers and people. But... for me, people, the human angle of business, are important.”

Incredible similarities

When he first came to India, Campara noticed “the incredible similarities the people of our countries had — family values, food, religion, etc. And Indians follow their traditions religiously.” He applied this learning when it came to approaching the market. That is why “we chose to collaborate with designer Manish Malhotra”.

“Our collaboration with Manish is to amplify our messages of doing things according to traditions while looking into the future; Manish is the perfect person to celebrate that and to spread the message of what our brand stands for,” Campara says.

For Malhotra, it was an opportunity to have his creative side align with a brand, while highlighting the craft India has to offer. “It came from a shared love for design and craftsmanship. What excited me was taking something I’ve worked with for years — embroidery, detailing, storytelling — and bringing it on to a new canvas,” says Malhotra. “Couture has always been emotional for me, but it usually belongs to special occasions. A sneaker is a part of everyday life. I liked the idea of my craft being worn and lived in every day, not just for a special moment.”

While collaborating with Golden Goose, Malhotra decided to carefully engage traces of heritage onto something that is so modern. “The idea was always about heritage — Indian craftsmanship meeting the present, and tradition moving forward,” says the designer who has in the past collaborated with brands such as Starbucks, Air India, American Express, Marriott Bonvoy, and Samsonite. With Golden Goose, Malhotra worked on two different pairs of sneakers and strategically integrated the Indianness while retaining the brand’s DNA. “With the white sneakers, I wanted the focus to be on floral embroidery and fine details,” he says. The black sneakers, he adds, are bolder in terms of colour. “They’re one tone, confident, and speak for themselves.”

Both Indians and Italians have a similar approach towards craft and creativity. “Whether it’s Italian artisans or Indian karigars, there’s deep respect for detail, patience, and process,” Malhotra says. “Both cultures value things made by hand, with time and intention. Both cultures understand that good craft can’t be rushed. That shared philosophy made the collaboration feel very honest and seamless.”

Campara says most luxury brands use their heritage as a selling tool, but not Golden Goose. “We’re the opposite. We’ve nothing to defend, but everything to offer and create,” he says of the brand that also sells clothing and accessories.

What’s in a name?

Isn’t Golden Goose an unusual name for a footwear brand? Campara says the name is inspired by a story from Aesop’s Fables, which says that out of greed and impatience, one shouldn’t destroy future growth and prospects. “What we learnt from this fable is that what goes around, comes around… that resonates with our mission of making the world a better place through creativity.” Golden Goose walks the talk. Customers can walk in with their favourite pair of kicks that require some TLC and get them restored at Golden Goose stores — even if the sneakers are from a different company!

Golden Goose has three stores in India — Delhi, Bengaluru and the recently opened store in Mumbai. Campara says he is not in a hurry to expand. “We’ve opened our stores in three important cities here and now I want to grow and understand the market.”

For Malhotra, associating with Golden Goose is more than just joining hands with a western luxury brand. “Indian craftsmanship has so much depth, history, and emotion. Working with western luxury brands helps take that story to a global audience,” he says. “It shows that Indian craft is not just traditional, but modern, relevant, and truly luxurious. It’s a two-way exchange, where both sides learn from each other.”