So, you see yourself as the ultimate Balenciaga fan. You’ve got a wardrobe full of Balenciaga fits, your sneaker rotation is stacked full of its kicks, but have you got a mantelpiece laden with ceramic Runner sculptures? Not yet, but if Demna has anything to do with it, you will soon.
If there’s one thing we can all universally accept about Balenciaga footwear (sneakers in particular), it’s that they’re divisive. When you cast your mind back, even the Sock Runner was “controversial” at the time of its release, and compared to some of the brand’s more contemporary releases; those are pretty tame.
I’ll hold my hands up and say I typically lean towards the side of “too much” or “wtf” when a new silhouette drops. I was particularly guilty of this with the Track 2, only to go on and grab a pair two years later, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite sneakers on the market.
The same goes for the Runner, near-universally dubbed the Demna ASICS rip-off. While it’s pretty overt that Balenciaga riffed on classic “dad shoe” runners, it’s still a unique take; and one of the best in their arsenal.
I say all that to say, why wouldn’t we want a hand-carved ceramic version of a might-be-might-not-be ugly sneaker?
For that lonely Be@rbrick on the self, Demna offers the Runner sculpture – a ceramic and porcelain glazed, carved, and modeled by hand limited edition craft, perfect for the ultimate Bali’ fan.
Coming in at $7,290, it’ll cost you a fair bit more than the $1150 sneaker, so empty your piggy bank and head over to (select) Balenciaga physical retail spaces to purchase one of your own.
