Highlights
- Miu Miu's $5,600 panties are gaining attention on social media due to their high price tag, rather than their fashion appeal.
- Instagram commenters expressed concerns about the comfort and practicality of the sequin panties, with one user joking about wearing a belt with underwear.
- The controversial underwear, described as outerwear in disguise, is covered in sequins and attracts attention from wealthy extroverts despite potential discomfort.
Italian high fashion brand Miu Miu's $5,600 panties are taking social media by storm – primarily for the garments' astronomical price tag, rather than their fashion appeal. On September 25th, Instagram "fashion watchdog" account @diet_prada introduced the $5,600 bikini briefs to their 3.4 million followers, vis-à-vis a carousel of images on the platform:
Alongside images of the $5,600 Miu Miu undies (and a corduroy version for the relatively low price of $1,100) @diet_prada posed a tongue in cheek question to its fans: "Ladies, would you like the $5,600 [itchy] Miu Miu sequin panties or the $1,100 corduroy panties with belt loops?"
Instagram commenters were quick to weigh in or answer the question, and one quipped: "Underwear just never fits quite right so thank God I finally can wear a belt with it!" Another speculated the Prada subsidiary's haute panties were designed by a man, and a third joked that their "OB-GYN has entered the chat" – suggesting that the garment was likely to be uncomfortable or unhygenic.
A fourth user remarked:
"Somehow the fact that the sequin panty has a zipper in the back is even worse. You’re telling me $5k and you couldn’t at least make the waistband stretchy? So we’re getting violated by sequins AND having our waistband dig in at the same time?"
We found a product page for Miu Miu's $5,600 underwear, available for sale on the website for luxury department store Bergdorf-Goodman – and marked as "limited inventory" with only one left to purchase. A product description indicated the item was "embellished in allover crystal and sequin beading," with a low rise, "cheeky seat coverage," and the unusual inclusion of a back zipper.
On September 27th, British newspaper The Guardian published a brief but popular article about Miu Miu's buzzed about new lingerie, noting that the piece was priced at £4,500 in the UK. Presented in a question and answer format, the item posited that the underwear were actually outerwear in disguise:
"But why? I don’t think these knickers are supposed to be worn as knickers. They are underwear as outerwear, designed for people who are desperate to be looked at, even if the most common response they receive comes in the form of concern for the location of their trousers ... They are made of silk-lined wool, but they are covered in sequins, making them perfect for objectionably wealthy extroverts with a fondness for being incredibly itchy."
It's worth mentioning that Miu Miu's $5,600 undies weren't brand new in late September, they merely attracted viral attention due to @diet_prada's Instagram post. On September 4th, Vogue India published an article about an editor's "road test" of the impractical, sequined lingerie – and her tips for building an outfit around them.
Back on August 16th, People magazine reported that Kendall Jenner had then-recently modeled the Miu Miu garment on the cover of fashion glossy Harper's Bazaar. Noting that the piece was previously worn on the catwalk by model Emma Corrin, the outlet described Jenner's ensemble:
"While Corrin wore the metallic undies with a tan knit turtleneck sweater on the catwalk, Jenner's were paired with black tights by the Italian luxury brand and a gray knit top. Jenner's look was accessorized with a gold Panthère de Cartier watch and necklace that dazzled as she wore her hair slicked back."
As @diet_prada's Instagram post generated engagement, more articles about the item appeared in the news. On September 26th, NDTV observed that "no one could stop talking about" the viral undies – and joined the chorus of opinions about their uncomfortable but glitzy appearance:
"High fashion? Absolutely. Lingerie you'd actually slip into? Doubtful. The comments resounded with this sentiment. Because of how highly unwearable the panty seem, users commented ... The collection also included more variants of underwear; none of which seemed particularly comfortable to wear. In addition to the silk sequin piece, there is a knit cashmere creation and also a nylon underwear which includes broad floral accents over it. Though the lingerie doesn't seem entirely practical, it is eye-catching."
Finally, British tabloid Metro.co.uk's coverage of the controversy included an assessment from women's health expert Dr. Aziza Sesay. Sesay warned against unlined or synthetic undergarments, and was quoted as advising fashion fans:
"Avoid tight fitting underwear made of synthetic materials as they tend to hold on to moisture which creates the best environment for bacteria and fungus to thrive, grow and causing infections such as UTI, [candidiasis,] and BV."
Miu Miu's $5,600 underwear remained a heated topic of debate among fans and followers of fashion trends, and it looked at first as if the garment lacked broad appeal due to its price tag (and potentially uncomfortable fit). Google search alluded to sustained interest in the style, however, as "Miu Miu underwear dupe" suggested users sought a version of the item that wouldn't set them back almost $6,000.