Balenciaga’s latest creation is dividing the internet as their bizarre foot-shaped shoe design takes minimalism to the extreme, with fashion fans questioning if they even count as footwear
Balenciaga has unveiled its most eyebrow-raising design yet: a $500 ‘barefoot’ shoe that shows more foot than actual shoe. The brand’s new Zero Shoe has social media users wondering if fashion has finally gone too far.
Crafted from a single piece of rubber-like material, the minimalist slip-ons mimic the exact shape and contour of human feet. With sculpted, exposed toes, natural curves, and a flesh-toned palette, the design offers an uncanny take on the concept of ‘barefoot luxury.’
Available in three shades, black, mocha brown and beige, the shoes are designed to blend seamlessly with the wearer’s natural skin tone. The result is a surreal, hyper realistic look that blurs the line between footwear and feet.
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Balenciaga calls them the Zero Shoe, but critics are calling them everything from creepy to comical. From TikTok to Reddit, the fashion world, and everyone adjacent to it, has something to say. “I hadn’t seen them until now. I wish I could go back to a time when I never saw them,” one Redditor joked. Another added, “Balenciaga is an elaborate prank on rich people. I’m ok with it.”
Commenters have also raised eyebrows over how practical the shoes actually are. “There’s no way they actually stay on your feet, right?” one person wrote, questioning the slip on silhouette.
The brand is no stranger to controversy, having previously gone viral for its £945 platform Crocs, ‘destroyed’ sneakers, and leather trash bags. Balenciaga seems to be leaning even further into its anti-fashion, normcore aesthetic with the Zero Shoe.
The shoes may be minimalist in form, but they’ve certainly made a maximalist impact. Whether it’s satire or statement, the barefoot mule has taken the concept of ‘quiet luxury’ to its most literal interpretation.
For some, it’s fashion at its most artistic, an extreme reimagining of what footwear can be. For others, it’s a glorified costume piece with a four-figure price tag and nowhere to wear it.
“I’d rather just go barefoot,” one user shared on Reddit, an opinion that echoed across comment sections. Despite the divisive reaction, everyone agrees that the shoes are impossible to ignore.
Balenciaga’s disruptive designs have always flirted with absurdity, but the Zero Shoe feels like a new chapter in its ongoing fashion experiment. It’s less about comfort or practicality and more about conversation.
Whether they become a cult favourite among avant-garde collectors or a fleeting internet meme, these shoes have firmly earned their place as an iconic fashion moment for 2025. And with that, Balenciaga has once again proven: the weirder, the better, especially when everyone’s watching.