PHILADELPHIA - Former US president Donald Trump, reeling from a ruling in a New York civil fraud case on Feb 16 that ordered him to pay about US$355 million (S$478 million), appeared at a footwear convention in Philadelphia the next day to promote Trump-branded sneakers, which retail for just under US$400.

The former president took to the stage at Sneaker Con – facing a less friendly audience than is typical for his political rallies – brandishing golden shoes called the “Never Surrender High-Top”, which follow in the footsteps of Trump-branded products such as Trump Water, Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks.

“Wow, a lot of emotion, there’s a lot of emotion in this room,” he said after boos and cheers drowned out his voice as he began speaking.

He added: “We’re going to remember the young people; we’re going to remember Sneaker Con.”

The appearance, just hours before a scheduled campaign rally in Michigan, is the latest effort by Trump to capitalise on his brand as he faces staggering penalties in civil court cases and 91 felony counts across four criminal indictments.

In just the past year, he has promoted trading cards, his mug shot, scraps of his clothes and firearms bearing his name and likeness.

The website selling the shoes says they are not “designed, manufactured, distributed or sold by Donald J. Trump”, adding that “GetTrumpSneakers.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign”.

But the company is using Trump’s brand through a licensing agreement, under which he would most likely get a cut of the revenue. Trump, his campaign and surrogates have all promoted the shoes either at the convention or online.

The sneakers, described on the website where they are sold as “Bold, gold and tough, just like President Trump”, are coated almost entirely in gold – even the shoelaces – and have a “T” badge for Trump and an American flag wrapped around the collar.

The site also features two other cheaper sneaker styles in red or white for just under US$200, as well as “Victory47” cologne and perfume sold for just under US$100.

Menswear writer Derek Guy, who has written extensively about the style of politicians, called the promotion “embarrassing”.

“Imagine Macron doing a limited drop and Rishi Sunak holding pop-up events,” he wrote on social media, referring to the French President and the British Prime Minister. NYTIMES