Recently I visited one of the ‘GoldStar Shoes’ showroom and found out that they have launched new premium shoes in higher price range. The struck in me was so rapid that it made me realize how Goldstar has evolved from a ‘common mans’ brand further to an a ‘elite choice’ category. My personal experience has been on the mixed bag side, not much as they barge themselves about quality and durability.
As a common 90s city kid we were forced away from the brand due to decade long conflict where GoldStar shoes were commonly nicked as the traitors pair. But they were undoubtedly the only pair a lower-class group could afford. But after seeing them releasing the ‘premium’ version shoe, I asked myself should I buy it? can I get the value of money? are they really comfortable and durable?
I will need a pair to test them but for now lets see how GoldStar shoes have evolved round the corner from being a common man’s favorite to the middle class budget option. Now, can they be the choice of the elites?
A common men pair; the GoldStar!
Never a doubt, Goldstar was the only name a common Nepali could afford as a shoe, unless a cheap low quality China made (khasa ko jutta) was the option. Even the Indian shoes were expensive than this, it gained a bit of market in India amongst migrant workers as they wore them alongwith to the big Indian cites for work, eventually establishing its name among the working class heroes.
the middle-class GoldStar charm
After the blockade in 2015, the parotitic hype for discarding India and Indian products shows the market sympathy towards Goldstar and few other local brands which already had a impact in the local market. This is where I believe Goldstar entered the into a middle class man foot, along with me. I too bought my first pair but a bit later.
The company aggressively took over the marketing campaign after seeing the market boom! new fancy products, large scale marketing, multiple dealers and sellers over the country gave the middle class family as easy access within their budget option. I don’t have the actual data but I believe 2017-2020 AD was the GoldStar BOOM!! and if you didn’t buy a pair in this years and we don’t call a Nepali :P, just kidding. Goldstar Nepal regularly tested new product categories based on market sales, almost counterfeited the designs to target the middle class family as we need good looking branded things, and company made the most out of it .. so did we.
Things didn’t end here
There were days when I used to see every legs if the pair was ‘GoldStar’ and surprisingly I got mostly right. Now, Goldstar was already the choice of working class group in Nepal.
Trial for the Elites – the GoldStar class?
Will the premium version find the shelves of the upper class Nepalese?
Now after seeing the new premium shoes I instantly started to wander will the rich society prefer to wear them? My mind was full of questions and I asked to myself at once, if I had money, would I risk buying the premium version of GoldStar shoes? To be true and fair I will not as I cannot risk my money rather I would opt for other Global brands even they disappoint me later. I will surely wait until they are tested and reviewed by my elite class fellows.
Hiking with my GoldStar shoes
GoldStar shoes shining in Darjeeling
GoldStar is already popular among the students and working class going abroad, now I see the premium class on the shelves. The new stylish sneakers in budget is attracting the elite class for daily use where they get moderate style and the new Jordan style sneakers. Hope they will make the premium footwears match the quality and durability slogans they promote.
How I felt wearing ‘GoldStar’, experience and personal review
These were first pair I bought in October 2017, before heading to ‘Seven Sisters States’ in North East India. I didn’t want to loose or damage my branded pair so I decided to GoldStar a try!! . I felt was average to the quality and looks contrast to what I was wearing, but the comfort I expected was less as I was already habituated with the comfort of global brands.
In a year I wore them to dirt as I used them in my day-to-day life. The sole was perfect but the upper materials let the shoes down, eventually me thinking I got the best for my bucks spent.
I brought a new pair, but finally realized one was shorter with manufacturing defect, I let them go in my shoe rack as I had to spent fortune to get them exchanged compared to the pairs price. (maybe ill donate them !!)
After getting the feel of getting robbed, I still dared to buy the third pair, looked fancy soothing color and looks, matched the legs so well in the jeans. My sister too decided to take a few pairs back abroad after seeing me wearing them. Though I haven’t asked how they are doing now but the initial phase was good so enjoyed them wearing them on her day off.
Now recently I have the fourth pair and GoldStar shoes have never let me down, Kathmandu valley, mountains & hills of east India, the desert of Rajasthan, the hot and humid Maharashtra, I have wore it everywhere and it didn’t give me any trouble. My worst shoe experience ever was the lace of trekking boots (different brand) torn apart but luckily I had spares, but I haven’t face anything troublesome wearing GoldStar.
Talking about comfort the shoes are light and somewhat comfortable, but when you are used to big brands it will take some to settle in. The sole is comparatively weak as I got nailed in above one of the above shoes , which i haven’t faced in any shoes earlier.. not even school shoes. the soles got degraded faster too on one of the pair. and they are pretty slippery and worse when they little used.
The fabric is also not much durable as it easily torn out on the bending area, and one torn out on the backward section where we push the legs inside, this is the most horrible damage as it made the shoes unwearable as it damaged the socks and hurt the skin.
Talking about the fit and finish, I will not recommend ordering online if you are doing for the first time as they might not fit you properly depending on the shape if the toe. they are carelessly finished sometimes with no stiches in the inner side, or with glue marks, or uncut/unfinished dye marks which made the shoes little awkward and even makes you realize you are wearing something cheap (even though I bought some good priced pairs), as it comes. Company surely lacks on final finishing quality part.
In overall, I am very happy!!, as I believe they are budget shoes and I should NOT expect more on the price I am paying. I highly recommend the shoes as they are highly wearable and looks fancy and modern.
While I was writing this blog, I browsed their website and found they have added new range of leather shoes, hope now every employees and owners can suffice their footwear needs from their own product range. Hope everyone who visits their website and showroom will find their footwears attractive and pocket friendly.
What do you think? will they able able to attract the big wallets in Nepal? best of luck !!