After grabbing headlines as the hottest fashion brand for the first quarter of 2022, Balenciaga is making headlines again for its footwear campaign with a “destroyed” limited-edition version of its Paris Sneakers.

The sneakers have garnered a lot of attention for their worn and rough look filled with massive holes and tears.

Everything we know about Balenciaga’s destroyed Paris sneakers

Unsurprisingly, images of the torn and tattered sneakers, available in white and black, have gone viral on social media. Their sky-high price tag of US$1,850 (RM8,110) has also raised eyebrows and sparked amusement and outrage online. According to the brand, these “extra destroy” high-top shoes will be produced in a limited series of 100 pieces per color.

As the Paris Sneaker campaign has now become the talk of the town, Balenciaga has explained that the viral images of the destroyed sneakers are actually still life portraits designed and conceptualized by Léopold Duchemin, and do not reflect the actual ones on sale. .

The shoes feature a pre-worn look with distressed canvas and rough edges, but are nowhere as scruffy as depicted in the campaign.

The destroyed sneakers are currently up for pre-order on the Balenciaga website. Their less-than-perfect condition hasn’t deterred sneakerheads, and they’re already sold out in most sizes.

Reaction to Balenciaga’s destroyed sneakers

The campaign and images of the destroyed sneakers initially sparked controversy and derision, with netizens taking to social media to question their dilapidated look and price tag.

A Twitter user shared a photo of the sneakers and captioned it: “This is a critique of the fashion world, see that? (sic)”.

Another Twitter user joked, “Who knew my son was a trendsetter. He’s been wearing shoes like that for years. (sic)”.

Learn more about Balenciaga’s Paris Sneaker collection

Destroyed sneakers are just part of Balenciaga’s shoes Paris Sneakers Collection. The range also includes the same high-end models – but without the destroyed aesthetic – in black, white and red, as well as sneaker mules for men and women. These are priced from US$495 to US$625 (RM2,170 to RM2,740).

The collection was pre-launched in South Korea and China on March 25 and April 9 respectively, ahead of its global release on the luxury fashion house’s official website on May 9.

(Main and featured images: Balenciaga)