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THE ORIGINS OF THE BALENCIAGA BRAND

Cristóbal Balenciaga, often called the "Picasso of the fashion world," opened his first boutique in Saint Sébastien in 1919. However, it was the opening of his first atelier in Paris in 1937 that brought him international acclaim. The Spanish designer was distinguished by his impeccable cuts, architectural shapes, and perfectly crafted lines. He was known for his bold use of color. He drew inspiration from various sources, including the working-class wardrobe—loose fisherman’s shirts and hats—as well as the works of Spanish Renaissance painters. Cristóbal’s career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. He created innovative and daring silhouettes for his era, but despite his dynamic growth and the justified admiration he received, the designer decided to close his brand in 1968. Renowned French fashion houses like Dior and Chanel were beginning to focus more on ready-to-wear collections, which did not entirely appeal to the couturier.

Balenciaga returned to the fashion world in 1986, thanks to Jacques Bogart S.A. During this period, the first ready-to-wear collections were created, but their reviews were not especially favorable. The fate of the Spanish brand changed in 1997 when Nicolas Ghesquière—a French-Belgian designer known for his avant-garde ideas—became creative director. He held this role until 2012, when he was succeeded by another highly talented designer and advocate of pure minimalism, Alexander Wang. Since 2015, the position has been held by Georgian-born designer Demna Gvasalia, and it is under his creative direction that Balenciaga has become the talk of the entire fashion world.


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THE STORY OF A GEORGIAN DESIGNER,

WHO TURNED THE FASHION WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

Demna Gvasalia was born in Georgia on March 25, 1981. At the age of 12, he and his family were forced to flee their home due to the brutal civil war that erupted in the early 1990s. In 1997, he began studying economics at Tbilisi State University, graduating in 2001. Shortly after, he moved to Germany with his parents. Since he had always aspired to work in the world of fashion, he eventually relocated to Antwerp, Belgium, where he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and earned a Master's degree in fashion design in 2006.

Demna Gvasalia worked for over three years at the French fashion house Maison Margiela, and in 2013 he became a senior designer at Louis Vuitton. In 2014, together with his brother and close friends, he launched the brand VETEMENTS, and in October of the same year presented his first women's ready-to-wear collection in Paris. One year later, he took over as creative director of the fashion house Balenciaga, and in 2019 he officially left the VETEMENTS brand. In an interview with WWD, he commented on his departure with the following words: “I started Vetements because I was bored of fashion and against all odds fashion did change once and forever since Vetements appeared and it also opened a new door for so many. So I feel that I have accomplished my mission of a conceptualist and design innovator at this exceptional brand and Vetements has matured into a company that can evolve its creative heritage into a new chapter on its own."


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WHY BALENCIAGA'S ANTI-FASHION AESTHETIC

HAS REDEFINED THE MEANING OF LUXURY IN FASHION -

DEMNA AS AN ARTIST AND CREATOR

Demna Gvasalia’s greatest inspiration comes from everyday clothing—the endless possibilities for interpreting, wearing, and customizing them. His seemingly anti-fashion designs, first created for his own brand Vetements and later for Balenciaga, have turned the definition of luxury upside down by redirecting fashion towards streetwear and normcore, making it more inclusive, accessible, and exciting for a wide audience.

Demna Gvasalia brought street style into the spotlight, connecting with an entirely new generation of customers in their own language. By breaking the conventions that previously dominated the fashion world, he focused above all on accessories with iconic logos such as hats, sunglasses, and the universally beloved practical sneakers. His casual designs instantly became highly sought-after invitation products to further explore Balenciaga’s extraordinary universe.

The Georgian designer’s creations are a fascinating deconstruction of everyday life. The memification and recontextualization of fashion, viral campaigns, and unconventional solutions have set trends for the entire industry, turning Balenciaga’s designs into true objects of desire. For several seasons now, the Spanish fashion house has been the talk of not only dedicated fashion fans, but has also decisively topped the rankings in terms of search volume in web browsers and mentions on social media.


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THE PHENOMENON OF THE SPANISH SHOE BRAND -

WHY THEY ARE THE MOST COVETED ITEMS

Fashion houses are constantly competing to come up with ideas for unique sneakers that are not only visually stunning, but also, thanks to innovative technologies, ready to accompany their owners through extreme conditions and countless adventures. Demna Gvasalia has just released a limited collection of ‘The Paris Sneakers’ that look as if… they have already been through everything. They are absurd—but that’s exactly the point. Demna’s designs spark emotions.

The first model of sports shoes created by the Georgian designer for Balenciaga was the record-breaking, unapologetically clunky ‘Triple S’ with its massive, triple-layered sole. It launched the trend for ‘dad shoes’—footwear associated with dads who don't have the slightest clue about fashion—taking over the entire industry and setting its direction for many seasons to come.

Balenciaga continues to surprise with designs that instantly become meme fodder, going viral not only among fashion enthusiasts. The inspiration for these unconventional shoes often comes from other wardrobe elements such as jeans or the iconic 'Cagole' bag. It’s also hard to ignore the ‘Chevalier Derby’ model referencing medieval knight armor, or the grotesque collaboration with Crocs. The latest coveted item among exclusive sneakers is the ‘Defender’ model, which is inspired by… tires.


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TWEED NONCHALANCE

WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION

SPRING 2019

The stage design for the Spring 2019 show was the work of digital artist Jon Rafman, who created a surreal tunnel that blurred the boundaries between reality and the world of technology. A visual eruption spilling digital magma made of images and data accompanied a stunning collection, in which the striking, exaggerated shoulder lines and sculptural constructions—referred to by Gvasalia himself as 'neo-tailoring'—took center stage. Well-known wardrobe staples were redefined to meet the needs and aesthetics of the youngest generation of fashion enthusiasts. Once again, the designer proved his ability to keenly observe street style and elevate the ordinary to the level of art in an unexpected way.

RETURN TO THE BRAND'S HERITAGE

HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION

FALL 2021

"This is the house where couture feels almost innate to me, the very essence." "It’s not just any legacy – it is the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga." Demna Gvasalia unveiled this extraordinary collection in the style of Cristóbal's historic shows. Models posed for photographs with silhouette numbers, and among the accessories we could spot the Spanish designer’s signature gloves and elegant, voluminous hats. The Georgian designer welcomed guests with impeccably tailored suits and form-fitting gowns, seamlessly blending the brand’s rich heritage with innovative futurism. The haute couture collection also featured oversized T-shirts, denim, and even... tracksuits. However, this was not as surprising compared to the avant-garde dresses that brought the show to a close, captivating with their exceptionally unique cuts.

CLONE SHOW

RESORT COLLECTION 2022

“It’s a show that never happened”
Demna Gvasalia's romance with cutting-edge technologies is in full swing. The Georgian designer closely examines not only the breathtaking possibilities but also the digital threats arising from the ever-deepening integration of our reality with the virtual world. For Spring 2022, Balenciaga presented 'Clones'—the first show in history to be produced using deepfake technology. Models paraded down a fake runway with computer-generated clone faces of the artist Eliza Douglas. The artificial audience could admire genuine creations, drawing heavily from authentically raw streetwear and the real-life experiences of the designer himself. Demna Gvasalia also challenges the boundaries of authenticity through a surprising collaboration accompanying the collection with Gucci—'Hacker Project.' Here, we find 'genuine counterfeits': accessories showcasing the signature color palette with a 'Web' stripe and the iconic monogram reimagined as... the Balenciaga logo.

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