Balenciaga Fall Show 2024
Balenciaga, a brand notorious for taking fashion risks, has stirred a cultural divide, particularly in the fashion world, with its recent show on LA's Windsor Boulevard last Saturday. Creative director Demme (since 2015), symbolizing the great city of Hollywood, was positioned behind the models as they walked. Demme, known for famously quoting himself as "going back to his roots and making quality clothes, not for image or buzz" (Vogue), responded to the most dreaded scandal of his career in November 2022.
The scandal shattered the brand's fashion reign, transforming it from the most sought-after brand to being marked down in the sale sections of department stores. It involved the use of BDSM props on child models in a marketing publication to advertise the new collection. Despite being a risk-taker, Demme was taken aback by the backlash, defending himself, the house he presides over, and blaming the company behind the campaign. However, observing the recent show, the fashion community and I beg to differ. Is Demme not done using and abusing the brand that gives him his voice to promote pieces more for headlines than to create clothes for warmth and visibility?
In the collection, the muse of the show's location shined through. Using the name "Los Angeles" on the branding and the chosen garments, Demme paid homage to his "favorite city" and its impact on the fashion trends of this generation. The first half featured Simple Sweet Sweats and athleisure pieces, including cropped sweatshirts, G-strings, and boots, with a brand touch of playful size tailoring. Exaggerated lips, shoe sizing, and draping of the silhouettes added a nod to what the city is most famous for. Celebrities in attendance, like Nicola Peltz, praised the designs' aura, expressing a desire to wear them.
LA has gradually become a fashion space, blending the home of trend influencers with brands that bring these trends to life. While shows from Chanel and Versace have graced the streets of the city, Balenciaga has taken it a step further, blending popular It companies with the fashion world. The collaboration with the infamous Erewon is the trademark of this new branding expression. Bags from the celebrity grocery store were used as accessories in the runway collection, with Kim Kardashian spotted carrying the paper bag. This raises the question at stake: Did Demme mean what he said about focusing on quality over headlines, or was it all to cover his name during the 2022 scandal?
Even before the show, pictures of the "towel skirt" were being sold online and in stores. Is taking a simple household item, used every day, and turning it into a clout-driven exclusive item a genuine fashion statement? The world of fashion is changing, especially with the new wave of influencers controlling the fashion media and entertainment side of the industry. Fashion houses must now consider how their brand speaks to the influencers influencing their customers, regardless of the name's high reputation. Is bringing collections and shows to LA a domino effect signaling the fall of creative expression and the quality of the clothes brought to the public eye, or is it the start of something new?
