Former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has faced criticism after wearing a 'ridiculous' £1,000 designer top featuring an intentional iron burn mark. The Polish goalkeeper attended a celebratory dinner for his current team, Barcelona FC, on Wednesday night to commemorate winning this year's LaLiga title.
Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed something unusual about his white shirt. One bemused X user commented: 'Szczęsny turned up to Barcelona’s celebration party with the front pocket of his shirt burnt by an iron… like absolutely nothing had happened.' Another joked: 'He clearly doesn't know how to use an iron properly.' A third remarked: 'That's either a genuine household accident or a Balenciaga £1,000 shirt.'
However, the 36-year-old sportsman was actually wearing a Vetements 'White Ironing Burn Graphic Shirt', which retails for £1,289 on luxury fashion website Farfetch. Described by clothing company H.Lorenzo as a 'white cotton shirt with pointed collar and ironing burn graphic print at pocket,' the item by the Swiss design house features a graphic that closely resembles the mark left on fabric when an iron is pressed too long.
The unconventional design has been widely ridiculed online, but Szczęsny appeared to embrace it while celebrating with fellow players, including Robert Lewandowski, and his wife Marina Luckenzo in Barcelona ahead of the team's final league fixture this Saturday in Valencia.
This is not the first time Vetements has sparked questions about its unusual designs. When the iron-imprinted top was released earlier this year, social media users criticised the brand for selling an 'overpriced' piece of clothing that 'lacked creativity'. One X user said: 'I've been doing this for free for years. Turns out my laundry pile is actually a high-fashion archive.' Another added: 'Once again, luxury clothing brands is a social experiment to see how much people are willing to pay for clothes.'
In 2016, Vetements left fashion fans bemused with a bright yellow top featuring courier giant DHL's red logo, priced at £185. It was branded 'unethical' and 'disgraceful', with one user describing the price as 'crazy' and 'beyond reason'. Similarly, earlier this year, Balenciaga launched a paint-splattered range costing £2,600, including a hoodie (£975), trousers (£895), and a T-shirt (£775) designed to look worn out. One disgruntled shopper remarked: 'Who would pay that sort of money to look like you've just finished a day's work on the brushes. Some people have more money than sense.'
