This time the luxury firm, Balenciaga, launched a new line of sneakersthe Paris Full Destroyedcompletely destroyed and broken sneakers that quickly went viral on social networks.
One of the first to join with criticism of the controversial launch was the account that questions the missteps of fashion “Diet Prada” through an Instagram post in which users commented “I guess it’s only okay to look poor but not really be”, while another commented “smells like rich people romanticizing the poor and the homeless“.
The controversy, beyond the appearance of the shoe, also focused on the price of this limited and exclusive edition that ranges from 1,500 euros. Not to mention that the controversial model managed to fill the Internet with memes. Even on Twitter, users suggested that it was an experiment for the brand, but the launch has to do with a trend that is not new and that of glamorize social phenomena, taking styles from the popular or low-income social classes.
In a statement, the brand explained that this launch is about: “a renewed classic that reinterprets the athletics and the timeless casual of the mid-century (…) the extremely worn, marked and dirty shoes (…) suggest that the Paris sneakers are destined to be used throughout life.
In addition, the company emphasized that the campaign seeks to be relevant in times where the focus is on the materials used for garments, excessive and excessive consumption in the fashion industry and its impact on the environment. In other words, they bet on sustainable, responsible consumption and the upcyclingnot to buy wildly and value the beauty of what is used and circular fashion.
In fact, from Twitter the fashion journalist, Lessie, explained that “Balenciaga launched its new Paris sneakers that went viral due to their extreme wear. These photos are part of the campaign that wants to communicate that ‘sneakers are for life’. But the shoe they sell NO it is the one of the viral photos”.
It is not the first time that a brand campaign has generated this type of controversy. They had already done so with the launch of other products such as bags that looked like the bags that are typically used to go shopping at the supermarket.
In short, Balenciaga did it again. With this latest release, he managed to generate controversy and make everyone talk about the firm. But is it a valid strategy? That is to say, it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, the important thing is that they speak up because, as they say, bad publicity doesn’t exist or in reality it is an acid criticism from within the luxury industry itself. The debate is open.