Spanish luxury fashion brand Balenciaga’s latest offering is a 4,700 yuan (US$650) T-shirt in collaboration with Chinese mobile payment platform Alipay, sparking discussions and chaff on Chinese social media.
The short-sleeved, oversized garment – which is unisex in design – only comes in two sizes and one colour, black. The iconic Balenciaga print is brandished in white across the front with the Chinese character zhi – the logo of Alipay – sitting just to the left of it.
The limited edition shirt went on sale on Balenciaga’s online store in mainland China after being unveiled at the fashion brand’s Spring Summer 2025 show in Shanghai on Thursday night. It also hit shelves at some bricks-and-mortar shops on Friday.
The collaborative fashion item will only be available in mainland China, according to Balenciaga.
The surprise team-up between the fintech firm and 105-year-old European fashion line has sparked widespread discussions on Chinese social media. Many netizens mocked the high price tag and basic design.
“Shouldn’t Alipay get this for its employees as uniforms?” another user wrote. Others jokingly referred to the shirt as “the most expensive corporate uniform”.
Its new collaboration proved eye-catching in part because Alipay, one of China’s two dominant digital wallets, is a household name and a daily utility for millions of people.
The company said it aims to achieve double-digit percentage growth in usage of Alipay+ among international merchants this year, and to “fill out the coverage” across all Asian countries, Ant International president Douglas Feagin said in March. The company also intends to expand to Europe and the US, he added.
