Balenciaga has a knack for transforming rubbish into brand-building treasures.
The company unveiled a $1,790 trash bag, causing another viral storm. Certainly, the bag designed by Balenciaga creative director Demna is not quite “garbage.” The bag, crafted from calfskin leather, debuted on the Fall/Winter 2022 catwalk. The performance made news due to how well it portrayed the present situation. Models traversed a fake snow globe, evoking the hardship of Ukrainian refugees following Russia’s invasion just days earlier.
The ‘trash bag’ experiment adheres to Demna’s now-familiar strategy for attracting attention: selling outlandish goods at bank-breaking costs that question the idea of luxury and poke fun at fashion.
In May, he courted controversy when Balenciaga released a campaign featuring a severely damaged version of its famous Paris Sneakers, which were offered in limited numbers for $1,850, and utilized shattered iPhones as invites to his presentation at the New York Stock Exchange. The new garbage bag is reminiscent of another iconic Balenciaga accessory: in 2017, the company released a $2,000 blue plastic bag that resembled IKEA’s 99-cent Frakta sack.
Kardashian promoting the new trend
In March, after sitting in the first row at Balenciaga’s Paris Fashion Week presentation in a catsuit made of caution tape, Kim Kardashian turned to Instagram Stories to show off her gift from designer Demna: a black bag ripped from the runway from the brand-new collection.
Balenciaga’s drawstring sacks, made from glossy leather instead of traditional plastic and available in black, white, yellow, and blue, are surely provoking significant comments on social media.
Balenciaga is responsible for some of Kardashian’s most provocative and conversation-starting ensembles, including her masked Met Gala moment in 2021, her helmeted haute couture, and her sticky yellow onesie.
And for a little under $2,000, Balenciaga’s trashy handbag is a steal compared to the Hermès Birkins in Kardashian’s closet, which cost between $5,000 and $6,000.
Not the first of its kind by Balenciaga
The Trash Pouch is not Balenciaga’s first out-of-the-ordinary product. In 2017, Gvasalia designed a $2,145 piece inspired by the blue Frakta shopping bag from IKEA. After its debut, IKEA published a statement emphasizing that the original was far less expensive.
IKEA representative told reporters that they are thrilled that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the classic sustainable blue bag sold by IKEA for $0.99. “Nothing rivals the adaptability of a large blue bag,”
Other than accessories, Balenciaga’s out-of-the-box designs have frequently turned heads. In March 2022, Kim Kardashian attended the label’s Winter 2022 presentation dressed from head to toe in yellow warning tape carrying the label’s name in black.
GQ has already deemed Balenciaga’s trash pouch a must-have, but if customers want the appearance for less, they can get a box of Hefty’s 36-count big “superior strength” garbage bags for $13.89.