Balenciaga is facing fresh copying claims after its new paint-splattered hoodie was compared online with designs long linked to Gallery Dept.
The debate grew on Friday, 25 September, after a viral post shared images of Balenciaga's green hoodie beside paint-covered Gallery Dept. pieces. The post claimed Gallery Dept. had called out the luxury fashion house, but the available evidence does not confirm that the statement came from Gallery Dept.'s official account.
The comparison has caught attention because paint marks have been a major part of Gallery Dept.'s style for years. Still, similar looks alone do not prove that Balenciaga copied the Los Angeles brand.
Balenciaga Hoodie Draws Comparisons
Balenciaga currently sells a bottle-green 'Paint Splatter Medium Fit Hoodie' for $1,390 (around £1,040). According to the fashion house's official website, the cotton hoodie has dropped shoulders, ribbed cuffs and waist, an embroidered Balenciaga logo and a printed paint-splatter pattern.
Gallery Dept. calls out BALENCIAGA for copying their paint splatter hoodie 👀
— Ovrnundr (@Ovrnundr) September 24, 2026
“Gallery [is] the most copied brand of this decade. [BALENCIAGA] biting off old styles. This is from their new season by the way” pic.twitter.com/i9lJcAc1tP
The green hoodie shown in the viral comparison closely matches Balenciaga's official product images. This gives social media users a clear basis for identifying the piece being discussed.
The viral post shared on 25 September claimed Gallery Dept. was unhappy about the similarity. It included the statement, 'Gallery [is] the most copied brand of this decade', followed by a claim that Balenciaga was 'biting off old styles', but the screenshot does not show an original Gallery Dept. post or official statement confirming those words came directly from the brand.
Did Balenciaga Copy It?
There is a clear visual reason why people are making the comparison. Both brands have sold casual clothing featuring paint-like marks, including hoodies, and Gallery Dept. has been using the idea for years.
However, no verified evidence shows that Balenciaga copied a specific Gallery Dept. design. Balenciaga describes its own hoodie as featuring a paint-splatter printed pattern, while Gallery Dept. says its current GD Paint Logo Hoodie is hand-painted, showing a difference in how the effects are created.
There is also no verified lawsuit or formal copying complaint between the two brands over this hoodie based on the sources reviewed. For now, the row is best described as an online comparison and copying claim rather than a proven case of design theft.
Gallery Dept.'s Paint History
Gallery Dept. has used paint as a key part of its clothes since well before Balenciaga's latest hoodie appeared. Vogue reported that founder Josué Thomas started the label in 2016 by reworking vintage clothing, often adding paint while taking pieces apart and putting them back together.
That look remains part of the brand today. Gallery Dept.'s official shop currently sells its 'GD Paint Logo Hoodie' for £525 ($700), describing the garment as hand-painted by workers at its Los Angeles Maison.
Paint-covered denim has also become closely tied to the Gallery Dept. look. Vogue reported that Thomas' early work focused on vintage pieces altered with paint and other details, while the brand later became known for items including its reworked LA Flare jeans.
Viral Claim Needs Context
The social media post makes the dispute sound like a direct public fight between Gallery Dept. and Balenciaga. Balenciaga is selling the green paint-splattered hoodie, and Gallery Dept. has an established history of using painted and paint-splattered clothes.
Until Gallery Dept., Josué Thomas or Balenciaga directly addresses the comparison, claims that one brand copied the other will remain unproven.
