Balenciaga sells ruined sneakers for $1,850

Pictures, taken by photographer Leopold Duchmin for the brand, of the heavily ripped shoes after the high-end brand’s new sneakers were launched in Paris on Monday, with outrage over the appearance of the high-tops swirling the internet.

According to the fashion house, only 100 pairs of “extremely disruptive” sneakers will be available for $1,850. Meanwhile, the Unlimited Edition and the coarser versions are selling on Balenciaga’s website for $495 and $625, depending on the style selected.

In a press release, the Paris-based brand said campaign images show the shoes being “extremely worn, numbered and soiled.”

An example of the rugged-less version of the sneaker, available to pre-order for $625 on the Balenciaga website. credit: Courtesy of Balenciaga

Demna is known for his disruptive flair and launching sneakers in Paris isn’t the first time his designs have met with bewildered reactions.

Balenciaga describes the sneaker as a “classic re-fitted design,” which is finished with “a tattered canvas and jagged edges, impacting a previously worn look.”

Online reactions to the Paris sneaker have been mixed.

But not everyone thinks sneakers are worthy of ridicule.

The jury seems unsure whether this latest marketing move is worthy of praise or derision. Either way, Demna and Balenciaga got people talking again, no doubt drawing many to a brand that seems increasingly comfortable with controversy.

Top photo: Campaign images of the Parisian Balenciaga sneaker.