Balenciaga’s $46K Benches Displayed At Flagship Stores Sell Out Immediately

In a surprise launch, benches designed by Dutch designer Tejo Remy and Balenciaga’s Creative Director Demna Gvasalia were recently released on the luxury brand’s website—and all three versions of the custom chair sold out immediately.

According to Artnet News, the bench was a reimagined iteration of Remy’s iconic Rag Chair design, which he originally created in 1991 with design collective Droog.

This time, he designed the furniture entirely from leftover Balenciaga fabric, using a mix of cotton, polyamide, polyester, silk, and viscose straps atop a wood foundation, resulting in a piece that resembles an oversized fur coat or a huge sandwich made out of clothes.

In a heartwarming touch, the benches were crafted by Remy’s Social Workshop, an initiative started by the designer to give opportunities to unemployed individuals looking to rejoin the workforce. 

The large version of the launch fetched a whopping US$46,300 each, while the medium and small models were priced at US$28,900 and US$18,000 respectively. These designs were exhibited at Balenciaga flagship stores worldwide before being sold online. 

Balenciaga is currently in hot soup over a campaign that poses children with BDSM-inspired plush toys. Shockingly, the shoot includes a document describing child pornography laws.

[via Artnet News and Highsnobiety, images via Balenciaga]