Sagging came to the fashion scene in the ‘80s and as hip hop became an outlet for artists and listeners alike. The impressionable youth naturally wanted to embody their idols by adorning themselves in baggy clothing with their pants hanging below their waists. In 2021, released a $1,200 sweatpant with a boxer detail at the waist to mimic sagging.
This incited outrage online after a video of the pants was shown in the store. “I think my initial observations [on the sagging trend] was with celebrity culture in particular. White celebrities and even some models, like the Hailey Bieber types; that whole group that the media pushes over and over again,” said , writer and Black consumer studies Ph.
D. candidate, “I had been forced to think about it more critically when Balenciaga sold those sagging sweatpants. All of the discourse around that was the first time that I had been confronted with it in ways that I hadn’t before,” he explained.
The brand is now known for its often controversial designs that are made to provoke a reaction or draw attention. Non-Black celebrities such as pop star Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Troye Sivan are often seen sagging on other fronts. They have adopted styles similar to traditionally African-American-associated fashion, with large oversized T-shirts, jorts, or denim that hang much lower than their waists.
Eilish’s fashion approach may be seen as part of “Gen Z” fashion, as this younger generation has a variety of aesthetics t.