IKEA’s topsy-turvy Balenciaga: the skirt-turned-towel creates a buzz

The famous luxury brand Balenciaga strikes again with a stunning piece: a towel-shaped skirt selling for $925. But IKEA, with a touch of genial irony, offers an alternative at £16, and the internet is having a field day.

Balenciaga and the fashion of the absurd

Balenciaga, known for its avant-garde and often provocative designs, is no stranger to surprises. After bags resembling IKEA’s famous FRAKTA blue bags and deliberately worn sneakers, the house is back with an equally surprising piece: a beige towel skirt. Priced at $925, this creation takes the minimalist design of a bath towel, worn over loose-fitting pants. A choice in keeping with the “ugly-chic” trend, where the absurd becomes haute couture.

IKEA responds with humor

IKEA ‘s response was swift. In a hilarious parody, the Swedish brand retaliated with the VINARN Towel Skirt, a fictitious product priced at a paltry £16. The campaign is visually similar to Balenciaga’s: same pose, same offbeat streetwear style, with a white towel worn like a skirt.

This humorous wink from IKEA is nothing new. The Swedish brand has become a master in the art of trolling luxury brands, especially when they are inspired, intentionally or not, by its iconic products.

Irony and accessibility: IKEA’s strength

The irony lies in the simplicity of the product offered by IKEA. Where Balenciaga transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary (and into a luxury product), IKEA reminds us that some creations don’t need an exorbitant price tag to exist. With its implicit slogan, the brand seems to be whispering: Why pay $925 when you can have a skirt towel for a few euros?

This approach plays on bothhumor andaccessibility, values for which the Swedish brand is renowned. Here, IKEA uses the codes of luxury campaigns to offer a real jab at the excesses of haute couture.

A debatable trend

The appearance of a towel skirt at Balenciaga once again raises debates about the limits of fashion. Is it creative genius or simply provocation? While the piece provokes mockery, it also underscores Balenciaga’s influence in the world of experimental fashion. The house continues to blur the boundaries between the banal and the luxurious, challenging our perception of what is stylish.