Balenciaga’s absurd couture show celebrates rebirth and authenticity

Creative director Demna Gvasalia asked whether the future of fashion actually lies in its history.

Balenciaga celebrates regenesis in its latest couture collection (Alamy/PA)

Balenciaga celebrated the art of repurposing, reworking and regeneration for the label’s autumn/winter 2024 haute couture show, where trends including deconstructed denim, excessive leather and ruched outerwear dominated the catwalk.

Frequently sported by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Cardi B, this Balenciaga collection was attended by Nicole Kidman in a simple diamante skin-tight dress, Joey King in a bleach-blonde wig and a topless Katy Perry.

The runway channelled a laid-back nonchalance: it went back to its roots and was held at 10-12 Avenue George V, the original location where Cristóbal Balenciaga established his Paris atelier in 1937.

For the latest outing, creative director Demna Gvasalia focused on Balenciaga’s signature styles of metropolitan modernity and architectural design, while velvet, leather, denim and mesh were fashioned into oversized silhouettes.

It wouldn’t be a Balenciaga show without a touch of the absurd: wide brimmed headpieces dominated the starting looks, transitioning into butterfly feathered masks, and soon leaving the models’ faces bare – drawing on the idea of regenesis that ran through the collection.

There was a philosophical angle to the show – making the wearer question how the clothes made them feel, emphasising the true intimacy of personal fashion.

Layering once again pervaded the runway as fabrics were repurposed from shirts to scarves, belts to gowns, and objects to headpieces. Denim, leather and nylon made their way onto pieces in patchwork and deconstructed forms, leaning into the notion of regeneration and vintage dressing.

Ruching and wraps played a pivotal role in both day and evening wear, transforming  simple cotton offcuts into formal statements.

The show ended with an array of Balenciaga’s signature silhouettes: simple black gowns were made eye-catching with faux fur and avant-garde cuts. The pièce de résistance was an excessively ruffled dress formed into an extravagant ruched sphere, virtually swallowing the model whole.

As we’ve come to expect from Balenciaga, the show leaned into avant-garde craftsmanship – asking us the question whether the future of fashion, in fact, lies in its history.