Balenciaga Unveil HEAVILY Distressed Paris Sneaker

Balenciaga have monopolised making ‘ugly’ sneakers fashionable, they purloin inspiration from various subcultures and established brands, completely flipping the motivating design on its head. Most recently they’ve caused controversy (and memes) regarding their Defender silhouette, many of which saw to be a mishmash of an ASICS Gel-1130 and a black tire tread. Some might call Balenciaga’s approach to footwear “taking the piss”, some say they are marketing geniuses - nevertheless they have played an integral role in the stardom of the ‘dad shoe’ trend that has become a mainstay in modern fashion, and never seem to have their outlandish styles in stock for long. 

Their latest marketing ploy takes inspiration from Converse’s Chuck Taylor, ironically named the Paris Sneaker, it’s less of a homage to the city of love, than it is a ’fuck you’.

Delivering two lace-up styles, either high-top or backless mule and painted in three colourways, you can choose just how intensely ‘worn’ the sneakers look. At the ’worst’ end - in both price point and nature, the shoes are HEAVILY distressed to achieve a post-apocalyptic aesthetic - featuring everything from holes to marks on the soles, the design is reminiscent of the mummified sneakers that were dug up back in 2017 in the Altai mountains region of Mongolia. 

Graffitied across the inside of the sole is the Balenciaga logo, which also features in a more classical typeface on the edge of the toe. 

Just 100 of the “extra destroyed” pairs will be available on Balenciaga.com. Europeans are able to pre-order the sneakers on May 9th, with the USA and Middle East following on May 16th, preceding a Japan release on May 23rd. The shoes will then be available globally. Prices range from £350 to £1,290.