The Golda focuses on creators, crafters, and remakers. Customization. Craft. Revitalization.
Source: The Golda
On Enter the 36 Chambers a caller buzzes the radio station, probably the Stretch and Bobbito Show and requests that they play Protect Your Neck, “Again and again.” It’s a sign that the song is unlike anything else being requested at the time. Designer for NinetyNine Products, Britney Hand, took that again and again and decided to build a shoe which doubles as a classic loafer, sneaker and boat shoe, but like Wu-Tang, she made it into something completely against the trend of mainstream footwear… meant to be worn again and again.
In this top-down shot of the Golda, at the front of the toebox, the midsole rises above the upper, in classic cupsole fashion. Unlike other sneakers and shoes on the market the construction is sans glue. The suede upper is stitched to the sole. The question becomes how is it stitched? On the Shoegazing site there are several methods of stitching without glue. Each method described implies the shoe becomes less waterproof without glue. Why would the designer attempt to design a sneaker in this manner?
Recycling, circularity and being made to be worn again and again is the reason. Britney’s intent was to deliver a sneaker which wouldn’t be thrown away into a landfill and take centuries to break down. The way most shoes are designed, they utilize toxic glues to make a stronger bond. The shoes last longer but are harmful to the environment at the end of life. The Golda can be taken apart and resoled. Making the shoe more capable of living beyond the normal span of life for a sneaker, but this also means the shoe is possibly less waterproof and prone to breaking down.
I’ve purchased one sneaker constructed in a similar fashion, the Saucony Court RFG. I wore that sneaker less than ten times and it ripped in the toebox. The Golda removes that issue by creating a toe design without seams. The RFG was a beautiful sneaker, but the wool insole sat on top of a 100% Lactae Hevea outsole. It didn’t provide a lot of protection, but the fact that the sneaker was made from only 7 materials was amazing. I hope to get an interview with Britney to discuss this sneaker and learn more. In the meantime, I need to order a pair because the Apricot color looks like spring, and I can’t wait to build a style to pair with those.