Initial Impressions, Maison Margiela, Sneakers

Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter

Price: $750

Why Buy?

The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is a versatile and well made sneaker that stands out in a very crowded field.

Why Avoid?

The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is amazingly expensive for a sneaker, and the sizing is way off.

Specs

ModelReplica GAT Paint Splatter
HeightLow
MaterialsNubuck / Suede/ Rubber / Oil-based Paint
Size46 EU [Runs Very Small]
Weight515 g / 1 lb 2 oz
ConstructionCemented
Country of OriginItaly

History

The GAT, or German Army Trainer, might just be the most copied sneaker of all time. Originally the sneaker launched as a trainer for the West Germany army in the 1970’s. During this time, there was a little tiff where the two global super powers had countless nuclear missiles aimed at one another, and the border between the two went right down Germany. Or, in other words, there were a lot of feet in Germany in army trainers.

Once the cold war ended, all of those sneakers ended up in surplus stores, vintage shops and more. They were everywhere (and you can still find them today for around $80 USD, or less in Europe. They became so common that in 2001, Martin Margiela bought up several pairs, hand painted them through his style house, and resold them.

Eventually, the number of people who were willing to pay 10x the price for a pair of hand painted vintage sneakers reached its limits, and the brand had to start making pairs themselves. Around 2005, Maison Margiela started to produce the “Replica.”

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Since then, even though countless other brands have done the same (including the original manufacturer, Adidas), many view the Maison Margiela GAT as the real deal, and others as the Replica. With this clout, the brand has upped the price again. And again. And again. This particular make up – the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter – is currently the most expensive model.

Could it possibly be worth 7 times as much as the Adidas it’s based on? Let’s dive in and find out.


Looks

Upper

The upper of the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter, in some ways, is actually closer to the original GAT than the base model. Where the standard Replica has grey suede panels on the heel, eyelets, and midfoot panel, the Paint Splatter only has it on the toe.

However, once you get closer, you’ll notice there are several changes for this model. The most obvious is the paint splatter itself. Maison Margiela changes the paint pattern over time – recently they went for a fine mist, but this time is more of a modern art pattern. The colors – cyan, mint, navy, red, yellow, and white – look great. Not subtle, of course, but they work well enough together that they don’t come off as clashing.

I should add, it is real paint added by hand.

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The upper itself is not made of the standard glossy white leather, but rather a nubuck. I’ve seen it suggested elsewhere that Maison Margiela needed to make this change so the paint stuck to the upper. I have no proof of that, but it seems a reasonable choice for them to make.

The tongue, made of the same nubuck, has a large leather patch letting you know this is from the 22nd collection. Or, men’s footwear. It’s held in place by two interior elastic panels.

Speaking of the interior, the rear is lined in a really nice tan leather. The insole, in white, has Maison Mariela pressed in. If you’re concerned about your pair, the fakes actually do too good a job pressing this. If your lines are super clean, it might just be fake. On that insole, the Maison Margiela GAT tag notes that the design is a reproduction, and a bit about the materials.

Mid- and Outsole

The bottom half of the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter begins with the classic GAT styling, though there are a few changes. To begin, it’s a one-piece, all rubber outsole. Up front you have a diamond pattern with circles, and the rear is an alternating nub pattern. Maison Margiela’s changes include the logo and the 22 circle in the middle, and “22” under the pivot point.

The Paint Splatter model does, of course, have paint dripping down the sides of the outsole. This will likely wear off almost immediately, but it’s a cool effect out of the box.

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You’ll also find that the outsole on this model is a bit darker than the one on the standard Maison Margiela Replica. Why? I’m not sure. Though it does let the paint pop more.

Summary

The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is a sneaker that I really like the style of. It takes one of the most classic designs in menswear, and adds a bit of flair. It’s surprisingly versatile from a color perspective. Being slightly less preppy than a pair of all-white sneakers, they can do the slightly grungy look better, but still work with a preppy style. There are two things you should be aware of with this particular make up.

First, of course, is that it’s often not appropriate to wear shoes with paint of them to places like the office. Second, where the original Maison Margiela Replica is as sort of if-you-know-you-know thing, these scream “look at my $750 shoes”! There is a time and a place for something like that, but it’s not every day.

When you do take them out, however, they work well with almost every casual outfit you can think of. V neck sweater, OCBD, chinos for a fall walk? Perfection. T shirt and shorts? A bit unbreathable, but sure. Jeans and a henley? Absolutely.


Fit & Comfort

Fit

The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter fits like all Maison Margiela Replicas, and that is definitely smaller end. I got these in my normal go-to European size of 46 (or 13 in US sizing), and when I initially tried them on they felt fine, but after I wore them I realized that a 47 would fit much better.

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Most of that tightness comes in the toe box. These sneakers are surprisingly wide for their length, especially since both the original GAT and most European-made sneakers tend to run very narrow. With slightly-wider-than-average feet I find that my sneaker size is almost always determined by width. This is the first-time length has ever resulted in a mis-sized sneaker for me.

I would definitely suggest going one full EU size up from your standard US sneaker size.

Comfort

Looking around online, you’ll find people raving about the comfort of these sneakers. Don’t listen to them.

To be sure, the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is more comfortable than most minimalist flat sneakers. And WAY more comfortable than an original pair of 1980’s GATs. However, at the end of the day, they are still minimalist sneakers.

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A very high-quality insole does help – as does a more solid type of construction – but there is only so much you can do with a few millimeters of foam and a few more of rubber.

You could wear these all day. However, if you’re really putting the miles in you’ll want something with more padding.


Materials & Construction

Materials

Setting aside the price point for a moment, the materials of the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter are a noticeable step up from just about every other sneaker out there. Overall, every selection they made is just that much beefier than you might expect.

The upper is made of a nubuck. Nubuck is smooth-side-out leather that is sanded down to give it a soft feel. The sneaker mentions it’s split calf, but that’s surprising to me since it feels full grain. The interior is lined with lamb, and feels great. Maybe not the friendliest sneaker to the animals, but the quality is there.

The insole is leather lined on top of a PU bed. I personally really like PU insoles, though they are a bit less springy than some modern takes. In any case, it feels substantial and well made, certainly not cheaping out here. Beneath that insole is a leatherboard lasting board.

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For the outsole, Maison Margiela opted for a rubber that is in the middle between softness and durability.

The paint itself is an oil-based paint, so it should be able to take a little water, and the laces are cotton.

Now, the materials are nice, but do the correlate to the price of these? No way. Though, they are noticeably nicer than what you find in the $300ish range of white sneaker.

Construction

The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is made using a board-lasted cement construction.

What that means is that, unlike most sneakers where the upper is built like a sock, the upper of this sneaker is built more like a higher-end shoe. The upper is constructed around a leatherboard foot bed, creating a more rigid and formed shape for the shoe. A leatherboard footbed also provides more stability over , and will compress to fit the shape of your foot, improving comfort with wear.

This used to be far more common. For example, the original Jordan 1 was board lasted, and the increased price of the newish ’85 model is primarily due to it being board lasted again. However, mostly due to price, most manufacturers have moved away from it.

Now, that upper is still cemented (read: glued) to the outsole. No resoles here. However, this design requires a cemented construction, so I won’t hold it against them too much.


Ease of Care

Typically, I don’t include an “Ease of Care” section in sneakers any more. It ended up being the same thing every time. This time is a bit different.

First, you absolutely need to use shoe trees with these. As you walk, the thick paint creases and develops bends. Without shoe trees to flatten these out you’re going to see the paint crack way before it otherwise would. Wooden shoe trees are nicer, but if you need to save some money after shelling out for this pair, plastic ones will work OK.

Second, you’ll want to avoid water with these as much as is feasible. Maison Margiela did a good job with their material and paint selection for durability, but this is still nubuck and paint. If these sneakers get soaked the leather will suffer and the paint will peel earlier than it otherwise would.

If you want something with less maintenance, the standard pair won’t suffer from these problems nearly as much.


Price

OK. Take a breath. Are you ready? The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter currently costs $750. For a cemented sneaker! This comes at a $70 price premium over the non-painted version.

Of course, I’m sure you were not expecting anything from Maison Margiela to be affordable, but damn. That’s a lot.

It’s even worse when you consider the price increase these sneakers have seen over the past couple of years. 2 years ago, they were just over $500 at MSRP, so they’ve gone up nearly 50% in price in just 2 years.

The good news is that with just a little bit of patience and a bit of work you can pretty easily find them for much less. I picked up this specific pair for $407. Still carrying a Maison Margiela tax, but much closer to options like Common Projects.


Are the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter Worth It?

From a value perspective, no. Of course, the Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter is not a good value. There is no $750 sneaker out there that is a good value. Even at the $450ish you can find them for on sale, you’re paying way more than the sneaker is objectively worth.

That being said, there are some redeeming features about the sneaker. If you’re looking for a reason to buy them anyway, here are some thoughts to consider.

First, the materials are really good. Even among luxury brands these feel nicer in hand and offer a more substantial build. I’ve reviewed a lot of sneakers, and this pair is right up there with the best materials I’ve ever seen on a sneaker.

Second, the style is unique but also (somewhat) flexible. The Maison Margiela GAT Paint Splatter manages to work in high fashion, preppy aesthetic, streetwear, and more. Other than my office where I typically wear a suit and maybe the beach, these can go almost anywhere. I even took them to the batting cages one weekend when my only other shoes with me were a pair of slides.

Are these reasons just coping efforts to justify the extremely high price? Probably. I still really like the sneaker though. I wouldn’t blame you if you did too. Just be sure to size up.

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