At Balenciaga, one thing is to be expected: expect the unexpected, and guests were reminded of that when they received the show invitation. Before his latest show, Demna Gvaslia sent out brown boxes with eBay packing tape.
Inside? Guests found random items, all from eBay, and a shipping message that read:
“The Winter 24 invitation is a random object found on eBay, the platform used by Demna to search for antique collectibles. These inspire the imagination of personal stories, which gives the objects a new life. Each invitation is a unique and personal found object selected by Demna, representing memorabilia from someone’s past and holding a sense of the familiar yet mysterious.”
Links of Past and Present, a New Collab and More
The invitation was actually a tease for a Winter 24 exclusive collaboration with eBay, and immediately following the show, a limited-edition tee launched (only 200 quantities are produced), available exclusively on balenciaga.com and at the Balenciaga store on Avenue Montaigne in Paris, France.
The rest of the collection focuses on the idea of luxury, which Demna explores in this collection. Ready-to-wear is meant to explore a link to the past, with constructions and details lending back to the House’s founder, Cristobal Balenciaga.
Still, there are obvious examples of Demna’s design process and how his work mocks the industry as a whole. Think jeans turned into tops (complete with BALENCIAGA hangtags), dresses made of tape, beanies that cover models’ eyes, and more.
As for the bags, there is a focus on massive daily haulers. Demna’s maximalist era continues, with nylon carryalls meant for daytime wear and Essex bags that combine interesting textures like faux croc with maximalist details. The bags are finished with a new B logo hardware.
The Rodeo line, new for Spring 2024, is expanded upon this season, combining soft, relaxed construction with utility; it takes a less in-your-face approach, lacking any big logos. View bags from the runway below, images via Balenciaga.
BALENCIAGA WINTER 2024
