Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design at the University of Westminster, spoke to The Guardian on the pitfalls of luxury brands such as Balenciaga charging huge prices for special ‘worn out’ fashion items.
Balenciaga recently collaborated with Adidas to produce a special pair of the German sports manufacturer’s iconic Stan Smith trainers, which retail for £645. The trainers are designed to look worn out and dirty.
The article talks about the trend for luxury fashion brands to create ‘worn out’ fashion items, saying: “Balenciaga is not the only brand to have made distressed trainers. Gucci created a pair of dirty-on-purpose trainers in 2019, which are on sale on its website for £715…the distressed look often coincides with recessions.”
Commenting on the Balenciaga trainers and the brand’s controversial use of children in a recent advertising campaign, Professor Groves said: “[The trainers] are emblematic of what fashion historian Emma McClendon calls ‘vacationing in poverty’… I think the tide has firmly turned against Balenciaga’s dystopian vision of fashion.”
Real the full article on The Guardian’s website.
Find out more about Fashion courses at the University of Westminster.
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