Step into the world of Balenciaga, where innovation meets eccentricity.
From groundbreaking designs to head-scratching creations, we’re here to unveil the weirdest products from the luxury brand’s repertoire. But that’s not all!
We’ll also uncover fascinating facts, from Balenciaga’s origins to its star-studded collaborations.
Get ready to dive into the intriguing universe of Balenciaga, a brand that thrives on creativity and elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Balenciaga was founded in 1919 by Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, opening its first store in San Sebastián, Spain.
Balenciaga had to shut down operations in Spain with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. He moved to Paris, where he got his first fashion show, and things really started to kick off.
Balenciaga released their first perfume, Le Dix, in 1947. It was created by French perfumer Francis Fabron as a classic perfume for the evening.
In 1957, to prevent copycats from stealing his designs, Cristóbal began unveiling collections to the fashion press a day before he shipped them to stores instead of the norm, which was four weeks prior. Balenciaga kept this up for ten years.
Balenciaga sold a limited run of 100 extremely worn-out pairs of their “Paris Sneaker” in 2022. The pre-stressed sneakers were so worn out they could barely be worn.
British model Kate Moss played a crucial role in the Balenciaga City bag’s success. While the bosses at Balenciaga almost canned the handbag due to its logo-less, slouchy design, that ended up being one of its biggest draws!
Despite being a century-old brand, Balenciaga only hired its first brand ambassadors in 2023! They were French actress Isabelle Huppert and Thai actor PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn.
Balenciaga had the nerve to actually sell branded rolls of clear tape as bracelets in 2024 for $4,400. Some mocked the brand for it, while others thought it was a social experiment to prove that elites would buy anything from luxury brands.
Balenciaga partnered with Crocs in 2017 to release colorful platform clogs. 2021 saw the release of the Balenciaga Crocs 2.0 collection, featuring a pair of crocs with stiletto heels, among other monstrosities.
Balenciaga was acquired in 2001 by Kering, a French multinational corporation that owns numerous luxury companies, like Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Yves Saint Laurent.
In June 2011, the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum was built in Getaria, Spain, becoming the first museum dedicated to a designer. Its permanent collection includes notable works such as the ivory wedding dress he designed for Queen Fabiola of Belgium.
Balenciaga released the “Trash Pouch” in 2022, a $1,790 calfskin handbag that tried its best to look like an ordinary trash bag.
In 2016, Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna Gvasalaia, created the Speed Trainer, the fashion house’s first sock-like sneaker. While it’s often associated with being sock-like, some see the odd-looking shoes more like scuba shoes!
Gucci and Balenciaga might be competitors, but that didn’t stop the two luxury brands from collaborating in 2021. The bold collaboration, titled the “Hacker Project,” led to instantly iconic crossover products like Gucci’s monogram shoulder bag with a Balenciaga logo!
As the name suggests, Balenciaga’s Triple S sneakers are inspired by three types of soles: running, basketball, and track shoes.
In 2022, Balenciaga and Lay’s collaborated to create the L.O.L. clutch. This $1,500 leather bag looks almost exactly like a packet of Lay’s chips, with Balenciaga’s logo replacing the text for the chip’s flavor.
Nicolas Ghesquière, the brand’s creative director from 1997 to 2012, was sued for $10 million by Balenciaga’s parent company, Kering, in 2013. Kering claimed her harsh comments about Balenciaga violated their separation agreement.
For its Fall 2018 collection, Balenciaga created a coat made from seven layers of jackets. By this point, it should be no surprise that the multi-layered jacket retailed for an outright silly $9,000!
Balenciaga worked with the producers of The Simpsons in 2021 to create The Simpsons | Balenciaga, an animated short film. The plot revolves around Marge returning a Balenciaga dress with a note saying how the dress briefly made her feel special.
PETA awarded Balenciaga the Best Luxury Product award in 2023 for a vegan coat that is made from Lunaform, a special type of “leather” made completely from plants.
Love or hate them, but Balenciaga’s bizarre products have made them the talk of the town.
Through this, they also proved they’re a brand that’s not scared to explore new ideas and challenge the norm, even if it means facing constant backlash.
While many of their products might appear absolutely bonkers to you and me, clearly, enough people enjoy them!
