VETEMENTS accuses Balenciaga of plagiarism again

The review comes on the heels of the release of Ye’s YZY PODS and Balenciaga’s True Sock Sneaker last week.

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Guram Gvasalia, Demna’s brother, expressed on Instagram that VETEMENTS designed the original sock sneaker in 2019. In a joint post, they shared an image of the original product with the message, “The original flat sock sneaker from 2019 engineered by VETEMENTS. Accept no imitations #NothingBeatsTheOriginal”.

The rivalry between the Gvasalia brothers is palpable, marked by competition since Demna left VETEMENTS in 2019 to join Balenciaga. Guram, now creative director of VETEMENTS, has expressed his desire to be “the biggest thing” in fashion in an interview with The New York Times. “I think my brother is very talented, but I have a completely different approach to thing. He had his good run of 10 years, and I think his era is slowly going to its finish line. Now it is my time”, he told Vanessa Friedman. He also compared VETEMENTS to Balenciaga: “They have a completely different construction. And honestly, I think all the brands in the world have done these kinds of dresses. I also think if you look at them next to each other, ours are much better”. The question now is whether Demna or Ye will respond to Guram’s criticism, adding a new chapter to this intriguing rivalry in the fashion world.

In other news, Jacquemus opens its first mountain store in the French Alps.