Shoppers decry luxury fashion brands for obnoxious and unwearable clothes on runway: ‘They look completely ridiculous’

At first glance, the outfit seems like a joke — but if it were, it would be an incredibly expensive one. A fashion show by luxury brand Balenciaga had viewers scratching their heads, particularly at several pairs of larger-than-life sneakers that bordered on the absurd.

“This is what luxury sneakers look like now!!!?!?!” one person who posted the look on Reddit wrote.

Many people made comparisons to clown shoes and even to the Disney character Goofy. The OP added that the models were “looking like bigfoot.”

Another agreed, saying, “They look completely ridiculous.”

“Don’t forget the erewhon bag,” one person pointed out, referencing the item in one model’s hand — part of a collaboration between the fashion designer and luxury grocer. “It may as well be a big sign saying ‘I waste money.'”

Indeed, Balenciaga is known for its eye-popping prices on pieces that are, ironically, often designed to look cheap or even like literal garbage. For example, its grocery-inspired tote bags, which look exactly like the ones you’d buy at the register, retail for over $3,000 each. A recent wallet designed to look like a crumpled chip bag costs $1,800, and those gigantic sneakers are selling for the same.

“They are dressed purely for Instagram / tiktok,” one person mused. “No way that this is comfortable to wear the whole day.”

Another agreed, observing that it’s “the slippery slope of satire…if you’re too good at it you just might end up being the joke.”

And while pieces such as these might make for a momentary chuckle, the increasingly short-lived nature of these fashion trends is cause for real concern. By turning fashion into a game of novelty rather than durability, brands including Balenciaga encourage customers to keep buying new pieces rather than invest in ones that will last.

🗣️ What should the government do about the fast fashion industry?

🔘 Set strict regulations 🚫

🔘 Incentivize sustainable options 💰

🔘 Use both regulations and incentives 🏛️

🔘 Nothing 🙅

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

This movement toward fast fashion isn’t just expensive, it’s also destructive for the planet. The fashion industry is responsible for over 10% of all planet-warming toxic emissions, 20% of the world’s annual wastewater, and millions of tons of textile waste pollution each year, per the Columbia Climate School.

Fortunately, there are many options to find high-quality and affordable clothes, from browsing online secondhand marketplaces such as ThredUp or Facebook Marketplace to thrift shopping, organizing clothing swaps, and even upcycling your existing clothes into new pieces. And the best part? No eye-rolling included.

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