The French fashion house has been known for its controversial designs in recent years. Who could forget the tyre-esque Defender or the Balenciaga X Pander Heel? Both shocking and abnormal in their own right. Well, now, Balenciaga has outdone themselves with their new limited collection of overly distressed sneakers.
Dubbed The Paris, the silhouette arrives in mule and high-top iterations. Available to pre-order, the shoes are a limited edition version of the brand’s Paris high top sneakers, which usually cost £450. Each pair is cut throughout the upper with frayed edges on the collar, tongue and lacing system. The shoe features washed out marks across the midsole, with the final touch being Balenciaga’s logo appearing at the toe. According to Balenciaga, it is “meant to be worn for a lifetime.”
If you haven’t already figured it out, the sneakers aren’t actually as distressed or trashed as the images make them seem. While there are in fact 100 limited edition pairs of these tattered sneakers ready for purchase, the standard sneaker is remarkably toned down in comparison.
The divisive shoe has been widely criticised and shared by social media users across the internet. “I think [I] need to walk down to Balenciaga headquarters in Paris France and shut them down singlehandedly.” Another user stated, “Imagine buying a $1850 Balenciaga Paris sneaker and then your mom throws them away bcs they look like trash.”
GQ France editor Pam Boy puts it best: “The message is clear: buy and keep forever,” he wrote on Instagram. “Demna will make people who can afford luxury items purchase ‘pre-worn’ looking sneakers for 1450€. He is completely turning the essence of luxury upside down … It’s the opposite of a sybaritic mindset, and once again he is making fun of people who will indeed spend a minimum wage on items that 1. they might deem disposable and 2. which are seemingly worthless. Is a luxury house the right medium for this message? I don’t know. But I hate to love it.”
