Conversations and debates are usually a sign that the designer has done something right in the world of fashion — however, in Balenciaga’s case, that may not be true.
When the designer brand revealed its fall/winter 2025 collection during Paris Fashion Week, which concluded on Tuesday, March 11, it featured an eye-catching style called ‘pantaboots.’
Highlights
- Balenciaga's 'pantaboots' outfit sparked some heated opinions, with some labeling their design as 'hideous' during Paris Fashion Week.
- Celebrities such as Selena Gomez and Alessandra Ambrosio wore the outfit, but fans were convinced even the models couldn't make it look flattering.
- The 'no pants' trend has been highly criticized by netizens.
- The overall outfit was deemed 'vulgarly sexual yet completely unsexy' by one fashion critic.
These unique outfits are one of the many designs that fall under the “no pants” category, as models such as Selena Gomez, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Rachel Anne Sennott wore a long-sleeved navy V-neck sweater, along with a layer of fabric serving as “skin,” and tight-fitting pants that double as black, knee-high boots.
The 'pantaboots' outfit by Balenciaga during Paris Fashion Week had fans doing a double take
Image credits: Arnold Jerocki / Getty
It’s probably not the most comfortable thing to wear, but a Reddit thread from 20 hours ago has fans flocking to label it with much crueler adjectives.
“What diabolical blackmail scheme is going on at Balenciaga to get multiple celebrities to wear their ‘pantaboots’ outfit? I need answers,” read the initial post.
And it seems most people were in agreement.
Image credits: Interview Magazine / roeethridge
“Not only is it a weird look (Not really a fan of the no pants trend) it’s soooo unflattering,” said one person, who gained more than 3K likes for their comment alone.
“It also photographs horribly and looks cheap, especially the lace,” another replied.
A third criticized, “It takes some work to make something that’s even unflattering on Alessandra,” referring to the Brazilian model in the thread, posing on the runway.
“Such a hideous fit and somehow it’s not the worst I’ve seen from them,” one user wrote.
It was labeled as "hideous," even with models such as Selena Gomez and Alessandra Ambrosio promoting the look
Image credits: treaclychild
Others paid more attention to the ‘skin’ aspect of the outfit, saying the two different tones clashed with one another.
“I hate them so much because of the ‘skin’ part,” someone called out.
Another said in response, “Yeah the shade of the skin-tights is odd, and they’re almost too matte. If they were slightly darker and less yellow with a bit more sheen to them, it might work better.”
Image credits: Balenciagac
“It’s the wrong color for Selena so it just looks extra weird,” a netizen noted, after Dedicated to Balenciaga by Demna showcased the Love You Like a Love Song singer posing with her fiancé, Benny Blanco, who wore a classic white-tee, black pants, and a tie in the background.
The annual fashion event in the City of Love may have officially wrapped up, but the looks they gave us have certainly kept the conversation alive.
One example took place on March 9, when male model Chandler Frye strutted confidently through the Palais de Tokyo room, wearing black pants and a cropped top that looked exactly like a woman’s breasts.
What drew other people's eyes was the skin color starting just below the sweater
Image credits: Pierre Suu / Getty
It was created by Duran Lantink and was considered a departure from his usual style of animal prints and bold shapes — which were also featured in the show.
While a few fashion influencers fawned over the attention-grabbing outfit, most couldn’t even bear to look at it.
“Nobody in real life wears anyone [sic] of this,” one person said. “Designers just throw anything together and call it fashion. Example the first model wtf.”
Image credits: Interview Magazine / roeethridge
Another complained that this whole trend surrounding nudity and fashion was something that needed to be left behind.
Paris Fashion Week 2025 had celebrities such as Reneé Rapp, Sarah Paulson, Bella Hadid, Chappell Roan, and more, either in attendance or as part of the show. The next one will take place from June 24 to June 29 of this year.
"Vulgarly sexual yet completely unsexy," was used as a description
