While others were busy looking for inspiration outside, Demna Gvasalia looked within, and just like that, he turned a new page at Balenciaga. Call it weird or foolish all you want, but as long as you’re talking about it, Demna has made his point! Balenciaga’s latest showcase alters the meaning of luxury, and this is our outtake from the show.
A mud splash, trash bags, and plenty of statements later Balenciaga is back at the Paris Fashion Week and more than a pleasant, it was an ‘ordinary’ surprise for us. In a world where we beat ourselves to be extraordinary every day, Demna Gvasalia asks us to find solace in the ordinary just like he did, and his latest showcase was a reminder of the same. Call it a marketing gimmick or a tradition, we all are guilty of constantly refreshing the label’s Instagram handle the day we know it is Balenciaga’s turn to play dress up on the runway.
Pushing creative boundaries has always been innate to Demna over the last ten years, but this time he chose not just to push to but question the mere being of creativity. He raised questions like what exactly is fashion? What is luxury? Is anything ever enough? – and the collection was his answer! The answer is that there is no right answer! He explores the realms of reality through humour and questionable fashion with a touch of DIY. If you ask me, every look and each corner of the set spoke to me and kickstarted a conversation of how insatiable our needs are and how we need to get it together and trust me when I say, it did get me to think!
I mean who would’ve thought an eBay package could turn into a Balenciaga invite? And this is how we know Demna can turn couture into casual and DIY into luxury. With that said, since Demna announced the show with questions, likewise we have some questions…
Our questionable outtake from the Balenciaga show
Is it just me or did the outfits literally have price tags on them?
Coincidence? Carelessness? Or Couture? Which one do you think it is? Well, it wasn’t a coincidence! I mean if Kim Kardashian is walking down with a price tag hanging you know it is not meant to be anything less than fashion. Demna questioned the saturated landscape of fashion with these price tags. He’s practically calling you out for stocking up your wardrobes and forgetting about those pieces that you bought but forgot about. So, maybe this is your reminder to treat your wardrobes fairly.
When did DIY enter the couture scene?
Taking inspiration from the legacy of Cristobal Balenciaga and keeping his aesthetic in mind, Demna decided to go a little too easy and infused casual DIY pieces into the collection. We saw the early 20s style of layering those spaghetti tops on one another. Plus there is nothing more casual and ordinary than e-bay t-shirts making a statement on the runway. So, yes, I’m still wondering how and when did DIY turned into a luxury. Or is this the cleverest advertisement eBay could have ever made? I guess, that’s one question only Demna can answer!
Did you spot humour and satirical elements, because I did!
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t smirk a little when those weird beanies, eye masks and lazy ensembles walked down the runway. I mean how is one supposed to keep a straight face when you have models walking down while chewing gum right in front of you? Or when you have pants wrapped around you to make a top? It was Demna’s satirical take on fashion, it was just his way of telling us to not be too hard on ourselves and to find humour in the little things around us.
Is the closing look still etched in your mind?
Yes, a big-time yes! No matter how stupid or pointless it may look, it got us all talking right? Well, that’s the point! The gown made of pieces of lingerie is a viral and real conversation starter. It took me a while to believe what I was looking at, but when it did hit me I was in awe! It was almost as if it was a rushed project that was made a minute before the submission date.
Were you lost in layering too?
Look closely, its not just one, two but three to four pieces layered to make one look. Bringing the 20s fashion back Balenciaga brings back the actual essence of layering and not just the one with blazers or coats, but the one where shirts were layered on tshirts, tops on spaghettis, bags on bags, and what not! So, I was nearly lost in the layering, and whether like or not, but you’ll soon witness this turn into a trend taking rounds on social media.
Lastly, was the background spiralling for you too?
Well, it almost felt weird after a point to look at all those images walking around the set. That was Demna’s ultimate message about how overly saturated and engrossed we are in the plenty of things going on around us, so much so that we don’t have the to take a breath to appreciate the little things around us. So, the constantly moving A-I-generated imagery was a friendly reminder of how we are drawing in content.
(All Image: Courtesy Balenciaga)
This story first appeared in Lifestyle Asia India.
