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Published October 2026 · Contact
Why the Gucci Tennis 1977 Is a Close-Copy Sneaker
The Tennis 1977 is Gucci's GG canvas court sneaker, sold as a low top, a high top and a slip-on, usually with a green-red-green Web stripe, a green lining and a small "GUCCI TENNIS 1977" label on the tongue and inside the shoe. It is not the same shoe as the Ace, which is a leather sneaker with its own guide, and "Gucci tennis shoes" is not a model name. Listings use it loosely, so settle which shoe you have before you start. If it is a leather low top with an embroidered bee or star, read our Gucci Ace sneakers guide instead.
Here is the honest picture. Under this name we see more counterfeit pairs than genuine ones, and the fakes are good copies. The tongue label, the web stripe, the GG-embossed foam side wall, the green lining and the label wording looked the same on both sides in the pairs we compared. So this guide does not offer one decisive tell. It gives you a few checks that real counterfeits failed, mostly on the underside of the shoe, and it tells you plainly which of them prove little. Treat every check below as a flag to weigh, not as a verdict.
What to check, ranked by reliability
| Checkpoint | Reliability | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Round Size Sticker on the Sole Panel | ★★★★★ | A round factory-style size sticker on the sole panel was on several fakes and absent on the genuine pairs checked; a reseller can still add one. |
| 4. The Outsole Tread Pattern | ★★★★★ | A tread that differs from the genuine sole for the same version is a flag, based on one counterfeit example. |
| 3. The Insole Itself | ★★★★★ | A loose dotted insole with a factory code is a flag when present; a neat insole proves nothing. |
| 2. The Insole Label and Size Mark | ★★★★★ | A missing circled size is a flag, but some fakes copy it, so a present one clears nothing. |
| Model Reference Before You Start | ★★★★★ | Rules out a mislabelled Ace or Rhyton; will not catch a close copy. |
| What Looks the Same on Both Sides | ★★★★★ | Labels, stripe, side wall and lining matched on both sides, so they decide nothing. |
Model Reference Before You Start
- Tennis 1977 low top: GG canvas upper, white foxing with a dark line, GG-capped foam side wall, green lining, a "GUCCI TENNIS 1977" label on the tongue.
- High top and slip-on: same family and same sole pattern; the slip-on has no laces and a plain GG upper.
- Special editions: python-print, embroidered, jacquard, Off the Grid and collaboration versions exist. We did not compare editions against each other, so do not assume a trim detail from one applies to another.
- Not covered here: the Ace, the Rhyton, the Screener and the Flashtrek are different shoes. We found no reliable tell for the Rhyton, and this guide does not apply to it.
Worth knowing
This guide rests on a limited set of genuine pairs and a larger set of counterfeits, all judged from photos. That is why the wording below is "in the pairs we have checked". A genuine pair that breaks one of these patterns is possible, and so is a counterfeit that passes all of them.
The Round Size Sticker on the Sole Panel
Turn the shoe over. Between the tread is a smooth, textured panel moulded with "GUCCI" and "made in italy". On the genuine soles we checked, in several colours and in the low top and the slip-on, that panel was bare. On several independent counterfeits, from different sellers, a small round factory-style sticker with the size printed in it sat on the panel, often yellow or gold on clear film.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Sole panel | Bare textured panel, moulded GUCCI and made in italy | A round factory-style size sticker stuck on the panel |
| Where the size lives | On the circled mark on the insole label | On the sole, as a sticker, and sometimes on the insole label too |
| Moulding | Crisp letters, even depth | Can be copied well; the sticker is the giveaway, not the letters |
Red flag
A round size sticker on the sole panel was on several counterfeits and absent on the genuine pairs we checked. Treat it as a strong flag. It is not proof on its own: a store or reseller can stick a label on a genuine pair, so ask the seller why it is there and check the other points below.
The Insole Label and Size Mark
Lift the tongue and look at the small label sewn onto the insole. On the genuine pairs we checked, the label read GUCCI over TENNIS 1977 in green and gold, with a small circled size beside the model name.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Label wording and layout | GUCCI, TENNIS 1977, gold rules | Often matches closely |
| Circled size mark | Present beside TENNIS 1977 in the pairs we checked | Missing on some fakes; present on others |
| What it proves | A missing mark is a flag | A present mark proves nothing |
Worth knowing
A missing circled size is worth noting, but a correct label does not clear the shoe. Some counterfeits copy the circled size too, and their label wording matched the genuine one. Use this check to add or subtract suspicion, never to pass a pair.
The Insole Itself
A genuine insole is part of the shoe. On the pairs we checked it was either a GG-print insole stitched in around the edge, or a plain insole carrying the label, with no moulded dot pattern.
One counterfeit we saw had a loose, removable grey insole with a massage-dot pattern and a factory code and size range stamped into the foam (ZJ07-09N 41-42). Another had a loose insole with a label glued on. Treat these as examples of what a cheap build looks like, not as a rule: a different counterfeit will use a different insole.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Insole | GG print stitched at the edge, or plain with the label | Loose, removable foam; a glued-on label |
| Surface | No dot pattern in the pairs we checked | Massage dots and a stamped factory code, in one fake |
| Fit | Sits flush, edge stitched | Lifts out cleanly |
Red flag
A loose insole with moulded dots or a factory code is not what the genuine pairs we checked had. Peel back the insole if the seller allows it. Its absence tells you little, because plenty of counterfeits use a neat, fixed insole.
The Outsole Tread Pattern
The genuine sole is a repeat of the small stylised GG, with the GUCCI made in italy panel and ribbed zones at the toe and heel. Compare the tread, not just the panel.
This counterfeit platform pair had a tan sole with large round interlocking-GG discs and no GUCCI panel in view, nothing like the small GG repeat on the genuine soles above. It is one example. Genuine platform Tennis 1977 versions exist too and we did not sample them, so do not read this as "every platform pair is wrong". Read it as: if the tread pattern does not match the genuine sole for the same model, ask why.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Tread | Small stylised GG repeat | A different pattern, such as large interlocking-GG discs, on this fake |
| Panel | GUCCI and made in italy moulded in | Missing from view on this fake |
Red flag
A tread pattern that does not match the genuine sole for the model is a strong flag for that pair. Check the listing photo of the exact version against another confirmed genuine photo of that version.
What Looks the Same on Both Sides
This is the part many guides skip. In the pairs we compared, these looked the same on genuine and counterfeit shoes, so they will not save you:
- the GG-embossed foam side wall
- the tongue label wording and layout
- the Web stripe
- the green lining
- most insole label wording
Do not reject a pair because the label font "looks off" in a photo, and do not accept one because the stripe looks right. Both are copied well.
Quick Authentication Checklist
- Confirm the model is a Tennis 1977, not an Ace, Rhyton or another sneaker.
- Look at the sole panel for a round size sticker.
- Check the insole label for a circled size beside TENNIS 1977.
- Check whether the insole is stitched in or loose, and whether it carries dots or a factory code.
- Compare the tread pattern with a confirmed genuine sole of the same version.
- Treat matching labels, stripes and side walls as neutral.
Because the checks are few and the fakes are close, one flag is a reason to look harder and two or more flags is a reason to walk away. A pair that passes everything above is still not authenticated.
When to Get a Professional Opinion
DIY checks cannot settle a pair when the sole is clean, the label has the circled size and the tread looks right, which is exactly where the better counterfeits end up. Send photos of both soles and panels, the insole label, the tongue label and the full shoe to LuxeDetect for a Certificate of Authenticity. A verdict from a reviewer who has seen both sides is worth more than any single tell here.
A code that checks out doesn't prove the item is real. Counterfeiters copy genuine codes.
Our authenticators check the labels, stitching, sole and box of your Gucci against verified references, from $15. You get a verdict within 24 hours, and a Certificate of Authenticity if the item passes.
Authenticate My Gucci →FAQ
How can I tell if Gucci Tennis 1977 sneakers are real?
Start with the sole. In the pairs we have checked, genuine soles had a bare "GUCCI made in italy" panel, while several counterfeits had a round factory-style size sticker on it. Then check the insole label for a circled size and the insole for a loose, dotted foam insert. No single check is decisive, because the labels and the stripe are copied well.
Is a size sticker on the sole always a sign of a fake?
No. It was on several counterfeits and absent on the genuine pairs we checked, so it is a strong flag, but a store or reseller can put a sticker on a real pair. Weigh it with the other checks and ask the seller about it.
Does a circled size on the insole label mean they are real?
No. Genuine labels carried it, but some counterfeits copy it too. A missing circled size is a flag; a present one proves nothing.
Are Gucci Tennis 1977 sneakers the same as the Gucci Ace?
No. The Tennis 1977 is a GG canvas court sneaker; the Ace is a leather low top with embroidered motifs. They have different guides. "Gucci tennis shoes" in a listing often means the Ace, so check the label and the upper. Our Gucci Ace guide covers that shoe.
Does this guide work for Gucci Rhyton sneakers?
No. We compared the Rhyton and found no reliable tell, because counterfeits copied everything we could see. Do not use these checks on it.
Can I authenticate Gucci Tennis 1977 sneakers from photos?
Yes, if the photos are sharp. The most useful ones are both soles, a close-up of the sole panel, the insole label, the insole and the tongue label. A reviewer can then compare them against genuine references for the same version.
