Balenciaga’s collection for Paris Fashion Week this September marked the end of Alexander Wang’s term as creative director for Balenciaga. Demna Gvasalia will now take over as artistic director for the French brand.
Gvasalia has an impressive background, as he worked under Maison Margiela and was the senior designer for womenswear at Louis Vuitton. He also has his own award-winning fashion brand, Vetements (which translates from French to “clothes”). The edgy, masculine, street style vibe (think long frocks, oversized jackets, and leather) of Vetements may hint at what is to come for Balenciaga.
While Balenciaga started off in 1937 with soft cocoon coats, tailored trousers, and feminine dresses, Vetements has given us denim skirts, hoodies, and thigh-high boots.
Gvsalia hopes to appeal to the contemporary young consumer— British “It Girl” Alexa Chung says she is “obsessed” with Vetements. That black hoodie Kanye keeps wearing? It’s by Vetements.
“The most important ingredient for us is the reality, what our woman wears to feel good,” said Gvasalia. In other words, he takes what stylish people wear every day and makes it fresher and cooler. Gvasalia is not afraid to push the fashion envelope — this fall models found on Instagram and Facebook walked the runway in the basement of Le Depot gay club in Paris. Although some reject Gvasalia’s departure from the dreamy high-fashion take on designing, Gvasalia may just be a breath of fresh air for Balenciaga and the fashion scene in Paris.
Fashionistas everywhere will have to wait to see what Gvsalia does with Balenciaga when he debutes his first collection at Paris Fashion Week this March.