The following viral moment from Balenciaga was revealed (or, maybe, unrobed): a grey terry fabric towel is worn as a mid-rise, knee-length, unisex skirt. The item debuted online today from the label’s spring 2024 collection despite not seeming to have been shown on the runway during Paris Fashion Week. (It is also available in grey, black, and beige stone.) It has an internal belt and two buttons despite being made of towel material. The front of the skirt has an embroidered Balenciaga emblem, and strangely, that’s what makes this outfit stand out from every other grey bath towel. It’s also dry-clean only.

Unsurprisingly, the skirt sparked a lot of passionate comments on social media. One user commented on X, “Remember that this idea was pitched, managers approved it, someone made it, created the marketing for it, uploaded it on the website, and still no one thought this was a bad idea.” Another person said, “I can buy one that looks like that for $15 at Kmart.” Some, meanwhile, appeared to be here for the contentious item. One person said, “Oh, I will purchase,” while another said, “What is the Black Friday price? Requesting a companion.

Furthermore, this could not even be a deliberate trick. Although many memes are already, Balenciaga is one of many to introduce towels as a high-fashion item. Prada, Fendi, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin wore towel skirts on the runways for spring 2020; Miu Miu and Acne Studios did the same in 2017 and 2015, respectively. Donatella Versace returned a set of terry cloth trousers with a butterfly motif from Gianni Versace’s 1995 collection in 2018. Marc Jacobs gave a towel dress published in the February 1989 edition of Vogue a sequined makeover.

Photographers and models have always captured the intimacy of dressing simply in towels. Models at varying stages of preparation have been featured in several previous editions of Vogue. In a 1954 photograph by John Rawlings, a model is shown posing with a white terry cloth towel wrapped over her head and wearing a strapless one-piece swimsuit. Furthermore, Veruschka was captured by Franco Rubartelli in 1967 using only an orange cloth and a string of beads. Additionally, Linda Evangelista and Patti Hansen have been captured by Arthur Elgort in various undressed poses, such as just out of the shower or after a skinny swim.

Although most people identify towels with women’s getting-ready (or not-so-ready) rituals, Balenciaga joins the long-standing custom of towel dressing, transforming the practise into a non-gender-specific activity for those willing to part with $925.

Conclusion

• Balenciaga has released a controversial unisex skirt made from grey terry fabric towels as part of its spring 2024 collection, priced at $925.
• The knee-length skirt features an internal belt, two buttons, and an embroidered Balenciaga emblem, standing out as a high-fashion item despite its bath towel material.
• Social media reactions to the skirt varied, with some expressing disbelief at the concept and price, while others embraced the uniqueness of the item.
• Towel-based fashion is not entirely new, as other luxury brands like Prada, Fendi, and Versace have incorporated towel skirts or clothing items in previous runway collections, highlighting the historical association of towels with dressing rituals.