"Sustainable?": Internet confused as Balenciaga sends out damaged iPhones as show invites

Balenciaga has decided to send invites for their Fall/Winter 2022 runway show to be held on March 6, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. CET on cracked iPhone 6s models. Instead of a traditional invite with paper and pen, the outdated iPhones are engraved with the date, time, and location.

As the label distributed their invites for the show, we saw various updates and looks from celebrities flaunting their iPhone invites via the social media platform, Instagram. Star Alexa Demie from Euphoria flaunted her invite through a Instagram story.

The celebrity list also included fashion bloggers and stylists Susie Lau and Jamie-Marie Shipton.

According to Balenciaga, the broken iPhone is a "Genuine Artifact," and a sustainable approach to sending invites and using junk instead of fresh paper. Fans, however, weren't excited about the invitation.

Fans react to Balenciaga's iPhone invite

Creative vision of Demna Gvasalia has been designing its way to futuristic designs, such as its new entrance into the metaverse with the Fortnite partnership and virtual reality models we saw a few days ago, on February 28, 2022. All of these steps via the label have seen fans react, good and bad.

The new step towards sustainability with broken or discarded iPhone 6s models is not something fans were able to catch on to. They questioned the sustainability motto of the invite and asked how tech waste as an invite was an approach to sustainability.

They asked a few questions as to how to recycle these invites and did not follow through on the brand's approach to upcycling the old iPhones. However, a few fans loved the idea of the invite.

Fans had mixed reactions to the iPhone invitations. While some were not happy with the invites and thought it was adding to the tech waste, others liked the concept and thought it was a creative idea from the label.

All about Balenciaga's Fall Winter 2022 show

Balenciaga's FW 22 show will take place on March 6, 2022 and will let viewers from around the world livestream the collection on the official website of the brand.

The collection is named 360° Show and will likely incorporate a furturistic and digital component. The label has been making strides towards the virtual business division, from their entry into metaverse and virtual models, to a virtual business division dedicated entirely to experiences, and products

About the author

Gargi is a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda, who covers all things fashion and lifestyle. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Delhi University, and her educational background and love for the written word has guided her 3.5-year journey in content writing and management.

For Gargi, her superpower lies in relentless fact-checking and building on research from credible sources to present her perspective on products and trends. Extensive artist profiling and creating a thesis on products and fashion are her strengths, and while Gargi lets facts do most of the talking, she also leaves room for readers to form their own opinions. Her passion for entertainment and popular culture means that her favorite artist is constantly changing.

Currently, Gargi is invested in BTS’ discography, and admires how the group have paved the way for other aspiring KPOP artists. When not talking and writing about fashion and lifestyle trends, Gargi likes to dance and play Badminton.

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