Iconic fashion brand Balenciaga debuted their new line at Paris Fashion Week Sunday, but those looking for an haute-couture experience were dragged to the trenches and left disappointed.
Instead of the glitz and glamor that one would expect of a luxe label, Balenciaga’s show unfolded amid piles of mud, muck, and sludge, portraying what Paris looked like amid the desperate days of WWI. This is not at all a reflection of current fashion standards in Paris, or the high-end fabrics and designs that Paris Fashion Week has been known for. If Balenciaga was looking to score points for being different, they won the race for bottom place, which is nothing to be proud of.
Balenciaga Fashion Show pic.twitter.com/z7Wdcouuvr
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The set design gave rainy, muddy vibes, and an actual river of mud flowed amid the dirt piles and sludge that lined the would-be runway.
As the models took turns strutting their stuff down the gross running river of brown muck, the clothing they were wearing dragged through the sloppy mess. The clothes were covered in mud and effectively ruined by the time the models took a few feet onto the mudslide stage.
Rather than showcasing their runway best, the models displayed seemingly intentional poor posture, and ploughed through the hideous setting as though they couldn’t wait to get to the other end and tear the clothes off.
The dark environment was lit up only by an annoying strobe-light effect that made the entire experience eerie and dingy.
It’s tough to imagine how this dark, dirty setting was meant to inspire the purchase of the high-end fashion line. (RELATED: Kanye West Struts His Stuff On The Runway)
Balenciaga SS23 Show Notes written by Demna (2022) pic.twitter.com/4yJZ56eLAO
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Gone were the crisp white stages and the flattering lighting that people have come to expect from a fashion brand of this caliber.
Instead, slouched models covered in mud miserably tore through the “stage” looking desperate to exit. It’s hard to say what they wore.There were no real stand-out pieces – just layers of grunge and threads that were mud-stained.
The Creative Director of Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia explained his unusual backdrop by saying it was a “metaphor for digging for truth and being down to earth.”
Some would argue he took this too far.
Gvasalia was also quoted as saying, ““I hate boxes and I hate labels. … Individualism in fashion is downgraded to pseudotrends dictated by a post in stories of some celebrity of the moment,” according to the show notes.
Most would prefer to take a clean box with a designer Balenciaga label home than any of these muddy creations. Sometimes boxes and labels are best, especially when it comes to the world of fashion.