All eyes were on the Balenciaga Fall Winter 23 show on Sunday to witness what Demna's redemption arc would be following the global scandal that enveloped the brand late last year. It was the first opportunity Balenciaga had to showcase the ways in which the scandal may have altered the way Demna does things as the ultimate perpetrator of subtexts and irony on a runway, so naturally the anticipation was high. Would he return with a statement, evident in an extravagant set and thudding music, or would the designer pull it right back?
Last month, the brand announced a multi-year partnership with the National Children’s Alliance (NCA.), and in an interview that followed the news, Demna proclaimed that the shock-value tactics associated with the image-making and shows he had employed in the past would be a thing of just that. It informed our expectations for the show on Sunday, which, set underground in the Carrousel du Louvre – a space that was designed specifically for fashion shows in the 90s – acted as the place of Demna's pledge to return to the roots of Balenciaga.
It's a brand that is over a century old. One that was built on squared-off tailoring and fluid tunic dresses, and the shade of black. This was most obvious in the first few exits, where a series of double breasted black and grey coats and jackets emerged onto a plain, cream carpeted runway. There were 17 looks that followed this silhouette in total, all super-sized shoulders and long, austere lines. It wasn't too dissimilar to how many of Demna's shows start. The change here – propelled by Demna's proclamation that he would be returning to simply making quality clothing – was in the hems, where pant loops and pockets sat right above an extra pair of pants fastened onto the hips. It created a doubled over effect and a slight optical illusion as the pants swung in front of the tailored trousers the models were actually wearing. According to his show notes, this was a nod to his earliest memory of fashion design, when his family let him have his own pair of pants made by the local tailor.
Elsewhere, Demna's signature silhouettes reappeared. His floral jersey pleated dresses and sports-adjacent shapes made themselves known. Sock boots remained omnipresent and speed-dealer sunglasses remained on the bridges of noses. It wasn't the design overhaul that perhaps people had anticipated or suggested, but it did feel as though it was a more serious approach without the sets and the shocking accessories. One thing – the biggest thing – that did not reoccur, was the logos that have driven the brand forward from a cult-consumer perspective in the past decade. Naturally, as everything will be moving forward, it was a very conscious decision on Demna's part, and felt like a very serious stake in the ground to reset the image that Demna had been carefully creating for the past 10 years.
Balenciaga is one of the biggest players in the luxury streetwear space, so it is particularly interesting to witness how Demna perceives the brand's ties to streetwear, and how they might be reductive to his new, stripped back direction. It was this, plus the glaring lack of celebrity presence that has generally surrounded the brand's shows in the past that felt like the most obvious nods to him having taken a good, hard look at the way he is understood and the ways he wants to communicate the brand moving forward. The biggest question to remain is whether or not it will last.
Watch the full Balenciaga Fall winter 23 show, here.
