Is Balenciaga’s cardboard slip dress a fashion genius or pure AI gimmick?

When it comes to blurring the lines between art, fashion, and controversy, Balenciaga has always taken the lead and has an almost unrivalled reputation in the market. From intentionally releasing ugly sneakers to some dystopian freaks on the runway, the brand has time and again made people feel quite uncomfortable.

But if you see a cardboard slip dress worn by Hollywood actress Megan Fox with Balenciaga’s tag, then AI has got you. The internet recently fell for a series of hyper-real AI images that looked straight out of Balenciaga’s playbook, released from an Instagram account called Sport Simulation.

One of their posts read, “Fashion just took a wild turn. What looks like a simple cardboard shipping box has been transformed into a high-fashion statement piece, allegedly priced at $8,900." The page is known for its AI-generated pieces, and honestly, this one did not sound fake.


The series of pictures features actress Megan Fox and actor Robert Pattinson walking the ramp with photographers on both sides of them. They’re wearing ensembles made from cardboard boxes with Balenciaga’s tag. The internet paused for a second and then realised that none of it is real.

Why did people feel for it?
As mentioned above, Balenciaga is known for its notorious fashion pieces, which look absolutely bizarre and come with a hefty price tag. From releasing a black ‘trash pouch' which looked like a garbage sack at $1,790 to a big yellow chips bag with ‘cheese and onion’ written on it which came at a price tag of $1,850, the brand always unlocks new levels of bizarreness. And, well, the internet is quite used to it.