[Update 17 Feb 2022] The Balenciaga 3XL Sneaker has finally arrived! Available in 4 colorways, cop your pair via Balenciaga and selected boutiques for $1090 now. In the meantime, expect more colorways to be subsequently released in the future.

[Update 30 Nov 2022] Product images have surfaced for these upcoming Balenciaga 3XL sneakers. It seems like there will be at least 6 colorways appearing in 2023. Check them out in the top slider!  

Balenciaga’s footwear department seems to live by the idiom “big shoes to fill”, except they take it literally. Think their revealed Steroid Derby shoes seen on Baby Keem, Triple S’s chunky sole and the XXL Boots. This foot philosophy carries forward to their Summer 23 collection, which was a whirlwind of surprises — think Ye leading the charge of models down a muddy runway in militant-esque gear. Oh, and bag-gloves.

After we broke out of the trance that Kanye put us under, we started to notice a certain oversized sneaker stomping down the murky path. Closer looks were subsequently doled out by the trusty @myfacewheno_o and @le.syndrome confirming our suspicions… Balenciaga has enlarged another popular sneaker niche: the sportsy Dad shoes.

Available in a range of colors, including neon yellows and BB’s famous triple black, the aptly-named 3XL sneaker is perhaps the most performance-looking silhouette that the house has released. Mesh plays a big role in the appearance with athletic shiny overlays cutting across the upper. It’s as if Kiko Kostadinov’s vision of Asics was hijacked by Balenciaga, injected with the BB’s bulking serum, and fitted with chunky arched soles. The laces, too, received the memo and doubled its expected size. Overall, the shoe feels familiar, but is permeated with a sense of uncanniness due to its magnified size — which is a very Demna-ian take on fashion, if you ask us.

As expected, no concrete release dates have adhered themselves to this shoe (unlike the mud that ran through the location). However, it is expected that they will drop in the upcoming year’s hot weather. In the meantime, look to the above slider for more pictures.

In other big shoe news, check out Ye’s 3D-printed boots with Kellerfeld.