It’s the latest use of the brand’s popular Bernie-inspired logo.
Since 2017, Balenciaga's "political" logo—a riff on Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign art—has stood out, even in a fashion landscape literally drowning in logos. Sanders himself responded to the fact that the brand had paid homage, telling CNN's Jake Tapper in 2017, "Of my many attributes, being a great dresser, a fashion maven, isn't one of them." And while Sanders' day-to-day looks might not serve as fashion inspiration for anyone, Balenciaga continues to find new uses for the logo. The graphic has adorned almost every product category, including caps, bags, T-shirts, wallets, and now even a pair of pool slides. Just as the concept of the luxury sandal hits a fever pitch, Balenciaga, as Balenciaga tends to do, is taking things a step further: with the luxury pool slide. (Whether Senator Sanders would cop a pair of $595 shower shoes is another question entirely.)
The blue beach-ready footwear is minimal from a structural standpoint, featuring a simple leather upper with the embossed logo placed right across the length of the strap for maximum flexing potential. But we'd suggest keeping your high-fashion pool slides to climates and situations where a pair of swim trunks might also be a viable choice. Right now, brands like Louis Vuitton and Visvim are making more structured sandals—the kind of open-toed shoe you can actually wear away from the water. But slides are slides, and as a general rule, if your sandals don't have any kind of closure or fastening, they're probably not going to hold up to anything but poolside concrete or sand. Then again, if you're shelling out for $600 luxury flip-flops ironically emblazoned with the logo of America's sweetest socialist, feel free to wear 'em wherever you like.