A plain white room with no decorations other than fabric-covered walls set the stage for Balenciaga’s runway during Sunday’s Paris Fashion Week. The comparison with a blank slate is obvious and yet the show took place in the majestic halls of the Louvre. Despite all the rumors of a brand reorientation, Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga’s Artistic Director, eschewed the theatrics of a large-scale spectacle and focused on what matters most – the clothes.
Like a phoenix from the ashes, Balenciaga – after numerous setbacks for an ill-conceived campaign and stoically refusing a real mea culpa – is looking to rise again this season. The brand has no choice but to go back to its origins.
In December, Balenciaga CEO Cedric Charbit signed the brand’s belated apology, acknowledging “a number of serious mistakes” for which Balenciaga “takes responsibility”. Most of the work the company has done has been done behind the scenes to improve internal operations.
Are there any visible signs of change at Balenciaga?
“Fashion has become a form of entertainment, but it often overshadows the essentials,” Gvasalia wrote in his Fall/Winter 2023 show notes. For Balenciaga, going back to the essentials meant constructing and deconstructing garments.
The starting point for this season was clearly pants. They’ve been tailored, pleated and layered as if they were an extra appendage that flutters beneath oversized coats and jackets. Worn three sizes up, a bomber and leather jacket had the familiar thrift store charm, with the fabric taking center stage. Gvasalia’s Eastern European motifs are infused into his silhouette and are part of his legacy – much like the skinny cut is part of Hedi Slimane.
Floral dresses and a small selection of floor-length evening gowns featured pronounced shoulders cut as if by Cristobal Balenciaga’s hand. They were reminiscent of Gvasalia’s grandiose haute couture debut for Fall 2022.
Aside from a futuristic biker boot, the collection was free of streetwear and logos. Accessories were noticeably more reserved, focusing on jewellery, bags and eyewear, such as the Alien-esque sunglasses that have become synonymous with the brand.
Without catwalk gimmicks, is Balenciaga still Balenciaga?
Kering’s sales have been boosted by the brand’s high-profile collaborations with Crocs and a host of recognizable reinterpretations – from DHL tops and company-branded streetwear to Ikea-inspired leather bags. It was the ultimate ugly sneaker, the Triple S, that brought Kering a never-ending stream of revenue. But without the logo hoodies, without Kim Kardashian, and without a new fashion direction, the stripped-down Balenciaga will be under pressure to generate growth, or at least match sales.
Still, Gvasalia is an exceptional designer who shouldn’t be guillotined for error, and he’s shown he can keep going. A fundamental reorientation can have the same effect on customers as a major staging.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.com