Balenciaga is selling 100 pairs of worn-out and soiled high-top sneakers at a whopping $1,850!

Luxury brand Balenciaga recently released a new collection of distressed shoes called the Paris Sneaker. In Balenciaga's words, the sneaks are "extremely worn, marked up, and dirtied."

The images of severely tattered, distressed shoes that have gone viral on social media are exaggerations of the limited versions of the sneakers that the brand is retailing.

According to the product listing, the priciest pair in the collection is a $1,850 limited edition of women's high-tops that have "destroyed cotton and rubber" and "rippings all over the fabric." These kicks also have dark smears and marks, and the brand name is written resembling a Sharpie marker. Balenciaga said that only 100 pairs of these 'extra destroyed' shoes are available to purchase and come in two shades, black and white.

The collection is attracting considerable unfavorable attention and criticism online. At the same time, some accused the brand of making a joke about people who can't afford a pair of good shoes and exploiting poverty as an 'aesthetic.'

Yet, Balenciaga stated in a press release that the shoes' worn-out appearance suggests that they are "meant to be worn for a lifetime" and increase awareness of how fast fashion plays a role in environmental degradation.

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