The Internet Has a Lot to Say About Balenciaga's Sweatpants
Internet

The Internet Has a Lot to Say About Balenciaga's Sweatpants

Balenciaga's newest Fall 2021 release has sparked an important conversation about appropriation that has taken social media by storm.

The label's Trompe-L'Oiel sweatpants, retailing for $1,190, are built with stylized sagging in mind, complete with built-in boxer material at the top to ensure explicit below the waist iconography.

It wasn't long before users on TikTok caught wind of Balenciaga's latest design and the ecommerce image of the pants, which are seen hanging on a store rack, began circulating on social media with many commenting on what they call "the gentrification of sagging."

Users were quick to note that for years Black men have not only been vilified for sagging their pants, but also directly targeted and discriminated against because of this style choice. In Shreveport, Louisiana, a police officer shot 31-year-old Anthony Childs while attempting to detain him for breaking a "saggy pants ban" that was enforced in various cities nationwide up until 2019.

While Balenciaga has yet to comment, see the some of discourse unfolding on Twitter, below:

Photo via Twitter