Balenciaga SS24 – Paris Fashion Week

The Balenciaga SS24 show at Paris Fashion Week turned into a family affair for creative director Demna, in his most personal show for the Maison to date.  With a cast full of the designer’s nearest and dearest, we were invited into his world to meet his community and cherished inspirations.  Comprising friends, family and everyone important in between, it was no surprise to see a story unfold that focused on identity and those who have influenced him to become the person he is today.

Naturally, Denma’s own mother, Ella, opened the show draped in a two-toned, four-sleeved trench coat.  It was only fitting then that his partner, BFRND, closed the show in an archival-tiered wedding dress fashioned from seven different dresses from the pre-2000s.  Numerous other influential figures graced the opulent red velvet catwalk, including stylists, make-up artists, and academics, and all were outfitted in versions of familiar Balenciaga silhouettes and signature tailoring cues.  See: jackets and coats with disproportionate lines and imposingly angular shoulders, and baggy hoodies with wide-cut jeans sporting hems that swept the floor.

Playing up to the tongue-in-cheek aesthetic Balenciaga is well-known for, chunky sneakers were likewise exaggerated far out of proportion, while slouchy leather bags were weighed down by an over-abundance of keychains and kitschy charms.  Even shopper bags imitated reusable plastic totes, reminiscent of the designer’s humorous Ikea knock-offs from SS17 and the literal bin bag sacks from AW22.

Sustainability was unsurprisingly prioritised on a widespread scale for the collection once again.  Moto jackets (another Balenciaga go-to) were made of recycled deadstock leather panels, and many of the eveningwear looks that closed the show were crafted from upcycled fabrics sourced from vintage shops around the world.  Perhaps most impressive in this regard were the floor-length bathrobes made of LUNAFORM, a low-impact, plastic and animal-free leather used here in fashion for the first time.

Quintessentially Demna, Balenciaga SS24 presented to us a narrative that distanced itself from the polished looks of last season to favour the irreverence and rebellion beloved by the brand.  An exercise in personal expression, each look was as proudly rough around the edges as Demna has ever been.

To read our review of the Balenciaga haute couture AW23 show, click here

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