Over the years, the world of high fashion has turned out some pretty bizarre spectacles. These are clothes that designers and critics gush over, which sculpted models flaunt with pride on the catwalk. But on the other hand, most of the big showstoppers are so loud, garish or outlandish that no right-thinking member of the public would ever have the chutzpah to wear them ... and that's not even taking into consideration their hefty price tag.

But the latest example of "high fashion gone mad" is probably the most egregious yet and has left scores of social media users scratching their heads. Last week, the Spanish luxury fashion house Balenciaga released a shirt that was so weird-looking that many initially assumed it was a prank. They call it a "T-Shirt Shirt", and frankly, it looks more like a stitching accident than part of a designer label's collection.

In a preview for its 2018 fall collection, the brand advertised a confusing combo shirt, which consists of either a T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt with another button-up checked shirt attached to the front of it, giving the wearer the appearance of a walking washing line. It's to retail for the princely sum of $1,950.

How did they come up with the design? Is it some kind of publicity stunt? Was one of their seamstresses drunk? It's simply impossible to tell. But suffice to say, when images of the shirt hit Instagram, social media's mockery was swift and savage. Many expressed dismay and exasperation with the price and style of the weird garment, while others simply laughed at the concept.

For example, Twitter user Shruti Shekar tweeted "I just do not know what to say @BALENCIAGA, please explain to me what a t-shirt shirt is, how did you come up with this, and which demographic were you aiming at?" while another person chimed in: "That Balenciaga t-shirt shirt is just a more unnecessary form of putting a label on a regular shirt and charging too much money for it."

But this isn't the first time that Balenciaga's off-the-wall concepts have provoked controversy. Back in April 2017, the Spanish company advertised an opulent tote bag, which looked identical to a tote bag from IKEA. The only difference was that Balenciaga's version cost over $1,000. In a press statement, IKEA said: "We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag!"

The 'T-Shirt Shirt' is expected to ship for sale this coming July.

Over the years, the world of high fashion has turned out some pretty bizarre spectacles. These are clothes that designers and critics gush over, which sculpted models flaunt with pride on the catwalk. But on the other hand, most of the big showstoppers are so loud, garish or outlandish that no right-thinking member of the public would ever have the chutzpah to wear them ... and that's not even taking into consideration their hefty price tag.

But the latest example of "high fashion gone mad" is probably the most egregious yet and has left scores of social media users scratching their heads. Last week, the Spanish luxury fashion house Balenciaga released a shirt that was so weird-looking that many initially assumed it was a prank. They call it a "T-Shirt Shirt", and frankly, it looks more like a stitching accident than part of a designer label's collection.

In a preview for its 2018 fall collection, the brand advertised a confusing combo shirt, which consists of either a T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt with another button-up checked shirt attached to the front of it, giving the wearer the appearance of a walking washing line. It's to retail for the princely sum of $1,950.

How did they come up with the design? Is it some kind of publicity stunt? Was one of their seamstresses drunk? It's simply impossible to tell. But suffice to say, when images of the shirt hit Instagram, social media's mockery was swift and savage. Many expressed dismay and exasperation with the price and style of the weird garment, while others simply laughed at the concept.

For example, Twitter user Shruti Shekar tweeted "I just do not know what to say @BALENCIAGA, please explain to me what a t-shirt shirt is, how did you come up with this, and which demographic were you aiming at?" while another person chimed in: "That Balenciaga t-shirt shirt is just a more unnecessary form of putting a label on a regular shirt and charging too much money for it."

But this isn't the first time that Balenciaga's off-the-wall concepts have provoked controversy. Back in April 2017, the Spanish company advertised an opulent tote bag, which looked identical to a tote bag from IKEA. The only difference was that Balenciaga's version cost over $1,000. In a press statement, IKEA said: "We are deeply flattered that the Balenciaga tote bag resembles the Ikea iconic sustainable blue bag for 99 cents. Nothing beats the versatility of a great big blue bag!"

The 'T-Shirt Shirt' is expected to ship for sale this coming July.