The metaphysical spectacle was shown at the grand Théâtre du Châtelet last night during Paris Fashion Week
Mimicking a movie premiere, Balenciaga invited guests to the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris to watch a Hollywood-style live red carpet on the screen. Just outside, friends, celebrities and even members of the French maison wore looks from the 60-plus piece spring-summer 2022 collection. Those modelling included actor Elliot Page, rapper Cardi B, and French award-winning actress Isabelle Hupert dressed in creative director Demna Gvasalia’s signature aesthetic of dramatic proportions and severe silhouettes.
The accessories were what stole the show. The Space Shoe, a highly stylised, futuristic derby, as well as The Cagole Boot in highlighter hues, inspired by the house’s leather bags were particularly clever, while the new Triplet Bag, basically an XXL triple-compartment flap bag was also hard to miss.
Once all the guests took their seats, a screening began of a short film: The Simpsons | Balenciaga. The crowd went wild for this special episode of everyone’s favourite cartoon family, where Bart enlists Balenciaga to make Marge’s birthday dreams come true. The 10-minute film poked fun at everyone from Demna to Anna Wintour—whose dramatic tear drop in the cartoon, after seeing Marge wear a gold Balenciaga ballgown, was immediately bottled into a perfume called Wintour No. 9.
Beyond a spectacularly metaphysical presentation, perhaps more impressively Demna Gvasalia manage to do the near-impossible—making the fashion world laugh at itself.