Tag Archives: Demna Gvasalia

A Portrait of a Dystopian Future by Balenciaga

Balenciaga seems to have made the pivot to video with the launch of its own newsroom ‘BLNCG Live’ seen in the designer’s Summer 2020 campaign. The first broadcast (directed by Will Benedict) is a real, almost Lynchian, trip complete with a dark and ambient wordless soundtrack. An ambitious crew of model-turned news anchors with mouths dubbed over like Sims avatars highlights key issues like the upcoming election (and how youth are instrumental in its outcome — ‘RECORD TURNOUT DRIVEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE’ a potentially prescient headline reads) and more broadly, WHERE IS THE WATER GOING?

 

There’s also the promising notion that traffic jams are gone (‘NO MORE TRAFFIC JAMS!’ an eager headline exclaims) but as a result, PEDESTRIANS ARE BACK, including an animated plastic bag that seems to have resisted being recycled and adopted human living mechanisms as its own, proudly crossing the street alongside model-like civilians dressed in the Spanish designer’s summer collection and sporting the Hello Kitty bag. There’s no explanation for anything but there doesn’t need to be — this is the future that Balenciaga wants. Or maybe just a preview of the end of the world. Either way, take a look at the weirdly brilliant campaign above.

 

 

 

 

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After 52 Years, Balenciaga Returns to Couture

Over the weekend, Demna Gvasalia, former creative director at Vetements and current artistic director at Balenciaga, revealed that the Spanish label will return to Haute couture later this year. The last time Balenciaga presented a couture collection was in 1968, before the label’s founder Cristóbal Balenciaga shuttered the atelier and pivoted to ready-to-wear.

 

“Haute couture is the very foundation of this house,” Gvasalia told Vogue. “So it is my creative and visionary duty to bring couture back. For me, couture is an unexplored mode of creative freedom and a platform for innovation. It not only offers another spectrum of possibilities in dressmaking. It also brings the modern vision of Balenciaga back to its sources of origin.”

 

Gvasalia remains one of the most influential and polarizing figures in the contemporary fashion landscape — from ushering in the era of big ugly sneakers to selling luxury Ikea bags, the Georgian designer consistently finds new ways to troll and disrupt the industry. And since there will be a large Jean Paul Gaultier-sized hole in the upcoming couture schedule in July, Balenciaga has some big shoes to fill for Fall 2020.

 

 

 

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Balenciaga’s LED Glasses Make a Case for Wearable Tech

There was a lot going on at the Balenciaga show in Paris over the weekend. For its Spring 2020 collection, the designer (still overseen by Demna Gvasalia who recently left Vetements) styled its cast of models and non-models with angled facial prosthetics, barricade-like shoulder pads were out in full force, and a case for the Spanish label’s own Top Model spin-off — Balenciaga’s Top Model — was made loud and clear via a black graphic tee.

 

But one of the biggest hits from the night was also one of the most simple: a pair of sunglasses enriched with a glowing LED logo on the side. The eyewear was inspired by light-up sneakers (the ’90s remains a constant source of influence for the designer) and can be charged with a USB cable. The LED display is triggered by a sensor that’s activated once the arms are unfolded — even better, you can tap the side to make the logo change color for maximum rave effect.

 

A lot of brands have been trying to make wearable tech happen for a while. (Remember how hard Google tried to push Google Glass down our throats a few years back? I can’t even remember the last time I saw a pair of those things IRL. Thank god.) But with the reception these glasses have gotten on social media since their debut, it’s evident that wearable tech might be a thing best kept simple. Who’d have thought that Demna, a man who’s never met an oversized silhouette it didn’t like, would be so good at ‘Less is more?’

 

 

 

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Models Wander Aimlessly in Balenciaga’s Latest Campaign

Since landing at Balenciaga in late 2015, designer/disruptor Demna Gvasalia has consistently challenged the fashion industry — he’s opted out of the traditional show cycle and made headlines with the impractical but utterly meme-able pieces (like those platform Crocs from the Spring ’18 collection) that have helped the luxury label double its profits since he took over — while keeping it delightfully strange. The newest campaign, shot by artist Jean-Pierre Attal in his first fashion campaign ever, is no different. In the images, captured in breathtaking deserts in Morocco and Lanzarote, models are wandering aimlessly while decked out in the latest collection, in an attempt to blur the lines between work and play. The contrast is striking, with the chic and print-heavy collection obviously standing out against the natural setting, but we’ve come to expect nothing less from the designer. Just check out its Instagram.

 

 

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Balenciaga Releases Book for its Winter ’18 Collection

The first in a series of creative documentation projects, Balenciaga is releasing a specially crafted book, titled Balenciaga: Winter 18. In rare form, photographers Johnny Dufort and Pierre-Ange Carlotti worked together to re-create and share the essence seen at the Winter ’18 show, under the creative direction of Demna Gvasalia and publisher Rizzoli.

Neon colors are incorporated into each image by modifying the CMYK color, and the result creates a visually stunning experience. The book is finished with swiss binding and sharp beveled edges, while a repeated graffiti motif is printed on the cover. The overall result is a captivating BTS look at one of the year’s most talked about fashion presentations.

“With this show in particular, even backstage looked like a story,” Gvasalia shared in a statement. “I realized that every show I do from now on for Balenciaga is cinematographic… I’d like to accompany with some memorabilia, something that actually puts you into that show and the process behind it.” The tome provides an exclusive look at the show but, more importantly, serves as a true artifact in itself.

Balenciaga’s Fall 2018 book will start going on sale online tomorrow. Take a look at some images below.

Images: Balenciaga.

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Hit the Track with Balenciaga

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Images: Balenciaga.

This week in niche designer sneaker launches: Balenciaga has released its aptly named BALENCIAGA TRACK shoe. The latest output from Demna Gvasalia, the new shoe extends upon the inescapable trend with a little more luxe functionality — inspired by outdoor and survival equipment, BALENCIAGA TRACK has overlapping woven panels and fortified soles for extra durability. TBH, it’s a more practical release from the designer that continues to keep the industry on its toes.

BALENCIAGA TRACK is out now at select retailers worldwide.