That viral shipping box dress isn't Balenciaga. It's AI, and it fooled everyone

If you can't get enough of Balenciaga's shipping box dress, here's a plot twist you didn't expect: it isn't real, it's AI.

In Short

• Balenciaga is known for turning everyday items into couture
• An AI-generated shipping box dress has fooled many online
• While many are thinking it is a new drop by the brand, they are just a few AI-generated images

From the viral trash bag to the controversial tape bracelet, Balenciaga has built quite the reputation for turning the most ordinary, blink-and-you-miss-it objects into headline-grabbing couture, and stirring debate every single time. The brand doesn't just blur the line between fashion and everyday life; it gleefully smudges it.

The most recent moment? Chinese actor Zhang Jingyi casually carrying what looked like a crinkled yellow plastic bag, except, of course, it was Balenciaga, at the Beijing International Film Festival.

So when AI-generated images of a "Balenciaga" shipping box dress started doing the rounds online, people didn't even blink. Of course, it's real, many thought. Because honestly, would it even be surprising? That's the thing about Balenciaga, it has conditioned us to expect the unexpected, to the point where even a cardboard box stitched into couture feels entirely on brand.

Except this time, the joke wasn't on fashion. It was on us as the shipping box dress is AI.

An Instagram account called Sport Simulation (@celebsimulation) has been churning out these hyper-real, AI-generated fashion fantasies, think the viral shipping box dress spotted on celebrities like Megan Fox and Robert Pattinson.

One of the posts cheekily read, "Fashion just took a wild turn. What looks like a simple cardboard shipping box has been transformed into a high-fashion statement piece, allegedly priced at $8,900." And somehow, it didn't sound entirely unbelievable.

So if you paused mid-scroll and thought if it was real, you're not alone. A quick dive into their page reveals a whole line-up of equally bizarre, very Balenciaga-coded creations: egg tray jacket and heels, glossy latex dresses, a broom-turned-couture moment, and even a wedding dress made entirely of toilet rolls. All fake. All AI. All oddly convincing.

The account even links out to a page detailing its so-called "viral blueprint", essentially breaking down how AI-generated content racks up millions of views, and yes, it also plugs a course on how to create internet-breaking visuals like these.

And while none of these pieces actually exist (yet), if Balenciaga were to drop a cardboard box dress tomorrow, would anyone really question it? Probably not.

- Ends