Cristóbal Balenciaga was one of the Haute Couture mavericks with an unmatched technique in pattern making and cutting. He pioneered novel shapes never seen before in women’s fashion and was much admired by his contemporaries. Even Christian Dior once remarked: “Haute Couture is like an orchestra whose conductor is Balenciaga. We other couturiers are the musicians and we follow the direction he gives.”
After a 53 hiatus and huge expectations, Balenciaga‘s Creative Director Demna Gvasalia hosted a much anticipated collection with an impressive 63 looks that opened with a black single-breasted suit with trompe-l’œil shirt cuffs and closed with a long train wedding dress in ivory silk wool.
In a statement Demna said “couture is above trends, fashion and industrial dressmaking. It is a timeless and pure expression of craft and the architecture of silhouette that gives a wearer the strongest notion of elegance and sophistication.The boldness of Cristóbal’s architectural shapes have always been a backdrop to Demna’s designs, but none so as evident as in this couture debut. The voluminous cuts of the tailoring, the shape of a skirt suit’s swingback jacket, even the radical sack dress that originally debuted in 1957 found its way back in Demna’s propositions in proportion.
Details such as onyx buttons on tuxedo jackets are easy to miss when scrolling through images online. Or that Japanese selvedge denim is made with silver-plated closures. Only one tracksuit made the cut, but it was the weakest link in a show where oversized streetwear took a backseat to the sculptural forms of fashion.
What transpires is that this collection is not just the first foray into couture for Demna, but also for parent company Kering. No other brands in the French luxury group’s portfolio have ventured into the realm of fashion’s highest echelon. In a recent interview Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault said the house of Balenciaga is “very, very far from reaching its full potential.”
Balenciaga is fully owned by Kering
Balenciaga Haute Couture, Fall Winter 2021 by Demna Gvasalia
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