Balenciaga Towel and Bag . PIc Instagram
Fashion house Balenciaga has decided to outdo their competition by going as ridiculous as possible in the fashion stakes.
Founded in 1895 by designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, is noted for being slightly controversial with sensational marketing, and fashion campaigns such as its 2022 holiday campaign, which was eventually dropped from the brand after an apology.
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They were accused of sexualising children after Backlash pulled the entire campaign.
The brand likes to surprise buyers with weird items sold at high prices.
Their latest weird item is a towel skirt, which is part of the Spring 2024 collection going for $925 (R16 800).
Described by the brand as unisex, an adjustable belt with a hidden buckle, with a tone-on-tone embroidered logomark on the front.
An image showing the ‘skirt’ is a towel wrapped around a waist, as one would do when coming out of a pool or shower.
The model on the brand’s website wears the towel skirt over cargo pants to show how it can be worn.
Some weird one-time fashion items include clutch bags that look like packets of Lays Chips going for the whopping price of $1 500 (about R27 520).
The crunched-up bag was launched as part of the 2023 Spring/ Summer collection at Paris Fashion Week. Designed in flavours; original, spicy, and salt and vinegar.
The brand paid attention to detail by putting a silver lining on the inside as you’d find in a bag of chips.
Amping up their fashion ante in 2022 the brand previously launched the Balenciaga dirty shoe, released in two styles. Backless mules as though they were previously worn outside in the mud and high-top sneakers ranging from $495 (about R9080,26) to $1,850 (about R33036).
The dirty sneakers have the brand’s smudged name on the sole as if written with a black marker, the appearance was slightly torn and described as ‘destroyed’ perhaps by wear and tear or playing and walking in the mud.
Social media hasn’t been impressed with some of the weird themes and users asked why poverty is fashionable to rich people. Also adding that people who buy such items should seek help.
Because they can’t get any weirder as part of the 2023 Summer collection they added a dirty outfit with holes retailing at more than $5k (or R91 767,50).
It consists of an oversized jacket and baggy bottoms that look as though they’ve been run through a lawn mower.
The outfit is soiled, with stains and numerous holes; the most peculiar aspect of this outfit is that it is ‘dry-clean only,’ even though it appears to have been dragged through the dirt.
A feature of the article is the larger holes on the back of the jacket in case the wearer needs a bit of ‘ airing’ in summer.
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And if that wasn’t strange enough, the fashion label has sold two odd-looking bags for $2,350 – one that looks like a black trash bag – described as a crushed tote bag, with a gold chain that resembles a string, and another that resembles a plastic shopping bag but is made of leather.
The ‘shopping ‘ bag has red stripes with the label’s logo in the centre, pics of it on sale show how it can be placed inside a shopping trolley to look like everyday groceries. However, it will set you back $1 226.89 ( R22 574,81) for this item.
While it would seem as if Balenciaga is having a laugh by selling these odd fashion items, the brand says it takes its designs seriously.
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