I bought my first pair of Golden Goose on a friend's recommendation and wore them through a long weekend. The Pinnacle in wine red is the kind of shoe that makes you want to evangelize a little. There is something specific about a pair that is well made, well priced, and quietly able to do the job of Sneakers three other shoes in your closet.

I asked three friends - a brand director, a photographer, and a architect - to try my Golden Goose pair for a week. All three kept them longer than promised. Two of them ordered their own. The Francy has that effect because the shoe does not feel like a statement. It feels like a tool. The mauve is easy to wear, and the silhouette is versatile enough to work across a range of dress codes.

The build quality of the Wave is what you pay for. Golden Goose sources the metallic leather from LWG-certified tanneries, and it feels like it will age rather than wear out. The gold star is double-stitched, not glued, which is why so many older pairs still look good after a few hundred wears. I pack Golden Goose Shoes for every trip I take these days. The sole is bonded rather than cemented, which is a small detail that makes a big difference if you ever need to resole.

On the comfort side, the Dad Star uses a layered insole that shapes to the foot over the first few wears. The padded heel collar is generous without being bulky, and the tongue is gusseted just enough to keep the foot centered. I have walked twelve miles in a single day and not thought about my feet once. The degraded leather breathes well in warm weather and does not feel clammy in winter socks.

I have owned my May for six months and I still get a small moment of pleasure when I tie them on. That is not something I can say about most shoes. If that sounds like the kind of relationship you want with a sneaker, the Superstar is worth a serious look. The sky blue is a strong place to start, and the build quality has been better than I expected.