Demna Gvasalia Launches First Balenciaga Couture Collection

Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia presented his first couture collection for the brand at Paris Fashion Week. The show took place at the original salon of Cristóbal Balenciaga, which has been recently renovated. In 1968, Cristóbal announced that he was retiring and closing the entire atelier, because he did not want to work in the ready-to-wear direction that was gaining popularity at that time and remained true to his style.

From the start, it was visible that the collection would pay homage to Cristóbal’s heritage – with Gvasalia’s signature moves over it. As the designer noted before the show, it took him several months to create all the looks (and there were more than 60 of them), during which he realized that haute couture is the pinnacle of design skills.

All-black sleek suits for men and women boasting intricate tailoring dominate the first part of the collection, along with tailored jackets and denim silhouettes. Other standout looks include an off-shoulder long sleeve jumpsuit with an oversized bow on the front covered in polka dots, as well as the faux fur jacket paired with mom jeans. The final ensembles take inspiration from bridal silhouettes, such as the dress -suit pant hybrid and the all-white gown with a matching full-length veil.