In the second half of 2022, rapper Baby Keem’s caught up travelling the world with his uncle Kendrick Lamar on the globetrotting “Big Steppers Tour“. However, that clearly hasn’t stopped his foray into contemporary fashion, as he posted photos of himself wearing the teased Spring/Summer 2023 Balenciaga “Steroid Derby Shoes” on his Instagram.

Photos via @ovrundr.io / @keem

When it comes to shoes, Balenciaga are famous (or infamous?) for creating shocking novelty silhouettes that challenge the public’s views towards fashion, aesthetics and design. They’ve done this pretty obviously through their controversial destroyed Balenciaga “Paris Sneakers” and Balenciaga Triple S Speed sock-sneaker, among others. Now, they’re back at it again with the comical, exaggerated “Steroid Derby” shoes and boots.

Both models come in an all-black matte leather, with the key difference being the silhouette. The “Steroid Derby” shoes appear to be based off an Oxford shoe silhouette, except with every aspect blown out of proportion. The leather upper sits atop a high platform sole which juts out from the shoe. The toe is expanded and steeply curved – on Baby Keem’s feet, it almost looks like he’s part of a classic Disney cartoon. Some commenters on Instagram described them as “clown shoes” or “Mickey Mouse’s shoes”, and they’re not exactly far off. Meanwhile, the “Steroid Derby” boots appear to be an exaggerated version of a typical combat boot silhouette, with an even chunkier midsole and Balenciaga’s branding appearing on the outsole tread.

Would you wear these? If you were considering it, you’ll need to wait until Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2023 season, when the “Steroid Derby” Shoes and Boots will release on their online store and select retailers. Stay tuned for more updates!

Speaking of wacky shoes, check out another upcoming collaboration: the Doublet x Suicoke Sandals.