Many jokes have been made about jeans that come with holes in them already. But some designer labels are taking it to extremes. Balenciaga drew ire online with an ad for "super destroyed" jeans covered in rips and what appear to be stains, highlighting just how little value there is in much of what the fashion industry has to offer.
What happened?
An r/Anticonsumption user shared a screenshot of a Facebook ad for "Super Destroyed Baggy Pants" from Balenciaga. "How does that even work?" the frustrated Redditor asked.
The ad includes a photo of stone-washed jeans with a ragged appearance, including many horizontal rips around the hems, knees, and pockets. The jeans have what appear to be mud stains on them and look like the most worn-out work pants imaginable. Despite that, they come with a price tag of $2,450.
"It takes a lot of money to be poor, both ways I guess," said the original poster.
Why does it matter if a high-end label charges more for ripped clothing?
"Fast fashion" — cheaply made clothing that falls apart almost as quickly as it cycles in and out of fashion, forcing customers to keep endlessly buying new items — has been widely criticized. It costs people money, puts pressure on designers, and generates lots of unnecessary waste.
But what's even worse is when a luxury brand sells items that, by design, are close to falling apart. They'll end up in the trash just as quickly, they're made to look bad on purpose, and they lack fast fashion's one, single virtue: being cheap.
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"I'm convinced that these high end 'fashion brands' are trolling to the max with pants like this. There's just no other logical explanation," said one commenter.
What is Balenciaga doing to make its clothing more sustainable?
According to Balenciaga's website, it's taken significant steps to make less of an impact on the environment than it does on the fashion scene. The company has set a goal to meet parent company Kering's standards in its supply chain by 2025, which includes making sure its raw materials are all traceable and reducing its environmental effects by 40%.
It also has a program to recycle and resell used clothing and accessories. Buying and selling items secondhand is a key step in keeping those materials out of landfills — plus, it's often a great way to save money.
What can I do to reduce clothing waste?
Balenciaga's secondhand items may still be out of reach for many buyers, but you can find shockingly good deals at a local thrift store — sometimes including new and high-end items.
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When your clothes reach the end of their life, you can repair them or upcycle them into something new. If you simply don't want them, you can turn them in for store credit, donate them, swap them, or sell them online.
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