There's a viral video of actor Angus Cloud that almost went unnoticed.

People can’t decide whether Balenciaga’s new $925 bath towel skirt is an example of clever marketing or just a ploy to wipe wallets. The unparalleled high fashion house, piloted by long-time creative director Demna Gvasalia, regularly releases peculiar designs, made to look beaten down and wrecked, with purposeful outlandish price tags – see its $1,850 fully destroyed sneakers or $1,800 trash bag tote. But this particular pick from the brand’s Spring 2024 collection sparked widespread debate online as soon it became available for pre-order on 14 November. A $927 terry-cloth towel, fashioned to be a wrap skirt, comes after the Georgian designer faced backlash for a controversial 2022 holiday ad featuring children holding teddy bears in leather bondage. Following the extensive criticism, Demna said he planned on tapping into his “roots in fashion as well as to the roots of Balenciaga, which is making quality clothes – not making image or buzz”. He told Vogue his plan in February a few weeks ahead of his fall 2023 debut. But while the designer intended to find motivation from Balenciaga founder Cristóbal moving forward, this quirky bathroom garment prompted further conversation about the brand’s continued desire to offer “absurd” luxury items. One riled up fashion enthusiast took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to make a larger generalisation. “This is absurd, These brands will sell anything and everything at such ridiculously high prices,” they wrote. “Balenciaga is so unserious,” another critic commented, while someone else said: “I’ll say it again... Balenciaga is conducting an experiment. It’s a behavioral science study. You can’t convince me otherwise.” Amid the flock of immediate criticism, brand supporters pointed out the platform and intended buyers Balenciaga targets. “In economics we’d say they are discovering the true demand curve. They are checking their customer base to see how elastic they are. If it’s a fairly inelastic demand curve of which it’s very likely to be. They won’t lose anything by being selling s*** like this, in actual fact…” one person wrote. “I need customers like theirs,” another fan proclaimed. One candid reviewer wrote: “What kind of madness is this? At least I’m not their target market.” Other X users added remarks about how they could make their own towel skirt with their fluffy fabric at home. “I already got a towel skirt, it cost $10 and it’s from Walmart,” one individual commented. Playing off the high-end fashion brand’s current visibility, Ikea, the Swedish homewares and furniture brand, dropped a similar advertisement, highlighting its $10 VINARN bath towel. In promotional photos, a model could be seen with the towel wrapped around his waist, layered over a pair of construction pants. On top, the man donned a common Balenciaga identifier with a black hoodie and wrap-around moto sunglasses. Read More Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? McDonald’s and Crocs collaborate on new Grimace shoes Jacob Elordi reveals why he always carries a purse Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? McDonald’s and Crocs collaborate on new Grimace shoes Jacob Elordi reveals why he always carries a purse

Yes, display technology is better than ever and screens are huge and cheap. But sometimes

The festive season might seem like to perfect opportunity to get snuggly with a significant other, but daters have been urged to look out for a toxic dating trend called “Scrooging” that could end in heartbreak. Modern dating is full of potential hurdles and pitfalls, as new dating trends like “phubbing” and the “penny dating method” come along. The latest trend that could make a budding relationship end in disaster is Scrooging and it is specifically linked to Christmas. Scrooging happens when a person dumps their partner right before Christmas to get out of buying them a present. Unsurprisingly, the name of the toxic trend gets its name from Ebenezer Scrooge – the grumpy character from Charles Dickens’ 1843 book A Christmas Carol – who hates Christmas. According to experts, people who are willing to dump someone over a gift may have other red flag traits that are best avoided. Times Now suggests Scroogers may do it because they don’t see anything long-term with their partner and therefore are unwilling to spend money on them. They may also display other selfish traits such as not wanting to meet their partner’s friends and family and being self-centred and unwilling to invest quality time. Scrooging may also be used as an excuse to start over in the New Year with a new partner that they are perhaps more interested in pursuing. So, in the lead-up to Christmas, if Scrooging is a concern in your relationship, it might be a good idea to pay closer notice to your partner’s attention levels to see if they are becoming distant. But, as is the case in all relationships, communication is key – if you suspect you’re about to get dumped at Christmas, communicate with them to see where you stand as a couple. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Gwyneth Paltrow has tried and tested Brad Pitt's Le Domaine Skincare line and given her verdict.

By Brendan Pierson A group of abortion providers on Monday filed a lawsuit aiming to preserve access to

Whether it’s frizz-inducing humidity or the driest of dry heat, warmer weather means our locks need a little more TLC. Fortunately, Ulta Beauty, the beauty retailer known for its high-end and drugstore options, has started its annual Gorgeous Hair Event. Through June 3, get daily deals — 50% off for 24 hours only — on top-rated hair products as well as two-for-$25+ deals on select brands’ shampoo-conditioner duos. Plus, Silver and Diamond Ulta Rewards members can get free shipping on $10+ orders when they buy those on-sale products. Have more questions on this limited-time supersale? Keep reading to find out more details and what to shop each day of Ulta’s hair sale.

Diageo Plc’s sales growth cooled, especially in North America, after a post-pandemic boost wore off. Sales advanced 6.5%

A guided tour is seeking to demystify the so-called "Hitler balcony" in Vienna after the notorious landmark appeared in a...

Beaten, forced to eat animal faeces and chained to a dog cage -- the abuse of an Indonesian maid highlights the government's failure to protect domestic workers at home even as it...

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for

The pair, who made their romance public for the first time in November 2021, had a romantic date night at home