Thanks to Jane Fonda, fashion's most divisive trainer could be back in style

Telegraph

21-02-2025

Fashion is a fickle beast. One minute you're in, the next you're out. Case in point are Golden Goose's iconic Super-Star sneakers. The brand's popularity first began to soar in the late 2010s, when fashion trainers first became a thing. Suddenly, celebrities like Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon and Selena Gomez were all spotted wearing the signature star-emblazoned sneakers, with many opting for the ready-made scuffed up versions (box-fresh whites were so passé).
Hailed as comfortable and practical, it's no wonder that the trend trickled down to the yummy mummy circuit, being ubiquitous with glamorous mamas from Notting Hill to Brooklyn Heights donning them while running from Pilates to school pick-up. Unfortunately, that's when rather predictably the fashion cognoscenti turned their nose up at them, with fashion oracle and journalist Lauren Sherman recently writing about them in her must-read newsletter, Line Sheet, that they were over 'thank goodness'.
'I've never understood the allure of Golden Goose Super-stars,' says stylist and brand consultant Flossie Saunders. 'I hate a scruffy trainer and the signature star feature to me feels childish and uncool. As a stylist, I'm open to new ideas and would like to think I understand or can get on board with usual trends of ironic fashion jabs, but I just don't see the point of buying a pair of shoes which look battered and bruised before you've even taken to the pavement in them. If you're willing to spend on trainers, in a similar price bracket I'd opt for the Maison Margiela Replica sneaker or Loewe Ballet Runner style which both give a similar understated aesthetic whilst still feeling interesting and elevated.'
But could the Italian designer's fortunes be about to shift again? After all, its latest ad campaign stars none other than 87-year-old actress, activist and style icon, Jane Fonda, looking especially chic. Styled by Gro Curtis, the brand's official stylist, alongside Fonda's official stylist Cristina Ehrlich, she's photographed in one image wearing a loose-fitting black trouser suit, while in another she's in a white tux with a contrasting black leather jacket draped across her shoulders. Our favourite styling element though is the ankle-length red, white and blue striped socks – surely a come-on to Gen Z customers, whose opinions on all things hosiery length are well-known.
Joining Fonda in the 25th anniversary campaign, which is being dubbed 'Born To Be A Super-Star' are a diverse bunch of trailblazers, including Australian skateboarder and double Olympic gold medallist Keegan Palmer; Italian Paralympic athlete and Inclusive Padel Tour founder Alessandro Ossola; American restaurateur and entrepreneur Joe Bastianich; and renowned fashion stylist Cristina Ehrlich, designed to highlight the universality of the brand.
Of course, the Super-Star's rise, fall and rise again in popularity is very much in keeping with what we know about the life cycle of the shoe. Just look at the Adidas Samba, for example, which was effectively cancelled (but was it really?) when the former prime minister Rishi Sunak wore his with a navy trouser suit last year (he was later forced to issue a 'fulsome' apology to the Samba community). Once ubiquitous on any given train carriage, the relatively simple style went from being so cool it had a sell-out Wales Bonner collaboration, to being a persona non grata in fashion circles.
Since Sunak's faux-pas, searches for the shoe have plummeted to half of what they once were, and according to the payment app Klarna, sales of the style fell by 11 per cent in the month in which Sunak wore them. Yet, the Instagram account Data But Make It Fashion recently shared that positive sentiment around Adidas Sambas was up by 20 per cent this month, proving fashion's collective memory is very short indeed.
Another example is Uggs. In the 2000s, you couldn't move for Uggs, which were the unofficial uniform of red brick university students and A-listers including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss alike. Having reached saturation point by the early 2010s, they were considered extremely un-chic again – not least because they aren't actually very practical in the winter (they were originally designed as indoor slippers and aren't waterproof).
Now, in the past six months, they've been re-hailed as the comfy footwear du jour with a reinvention – including heeled styles – loved by Jennifer Lopez et al. Go figure. According to Footwear News, Uggs had a 16.1 per cent increase in sales in the final quarter of last year, up to £980 million. That's a lot of soggy toes.
Of course, some shoes deserve to remain in the annals of fashion history (gladiator sandals, we are looking at you), but we'd personally quite like the world to rediscover the joys of Steve Madden's slip-on platform sandals (dubbed 'slinkys') or Vivienne Westwood's pirate boots, both Y2K icons ripe for a renaissance. Perhaps they can see if La Fonda is free to model them.
Our pick of the flock
As modelled by Fonda, this classic white pair with grey suede inserts and a gold glitter star is an instant update on the iconic style, and will dress up any outfit.
Super-Star with gold glitter star and ice-gray suede inserts, £445, Golden Goose
Swap the intentionally messed-up off-whites for these in black leather, which feature a fun zebra print star – a modern update on the leopard print version.
Super-Star in black nappa leather with zebra-print pony skin star and beige leather heel tab, £485, Golden Goose
Red accessories are trending again, so why not subtly nod to it via these Super-Stars, which feature a rust effect star and heel?
White Women's Super-Star LAB with rust-effect star and heel tab, £610, Golden Goose