SpaceShuttle

Golden Goose is ready to hit new frontiers when it comes to footwear.

The shoe brand is introducing a unisex design, called SpaceStar, that marks a departure from its sports-tinged, vintage-finished sneaker styles the company has become synonymous with.

Lined in soft shearling and boasting a memory foam insole and extra-cushion sole, the latter resembling the hull of a space shuttle, the shoe comes in a range of premium materials such as suede, nylon, leopard-printed pony skin and glitter. A low-top version is flanked by a mule style, retailing at 595 and 540 euros, respectively.

“The Space-Star comes from people’s desire to experiment with something different than just a sneaker,” said Silvio Campara, Golden Goose’s chief executive officer. “Designed ‘from the people for the people,’ this unisex and timeless design enables everyone to truly relax and embrace their own space,” he said.

Marking the retail debut of the new style, Golden Goose set up a 48-hour online flash pop-up shop, which will sell the sneakers in advance, before the global rollout planned for Jan. 13, when they land at the brand’s flagships and at select retailers.

The company teased that it plans to mount physical popups and installations globally to mark the style’s launch next year, although further details were not revealed.

Since private equity fund Permira took control of Golden Goose from Carlyle at a price that sources pegged at 1.28 billion euros in February last year, the brand has been on a growth trajectory.

Marking its 20th anniversary this year, the company unveiled sprawling new headquarters in Milan, not far from Fondazione Prada, and opened its first outpost in the city’s central luxury shopping area, occupying a corner unit that previously housed the Alexander McQueen flagship. — MARTINO CARRERA