Balenciaga fashion show: when Demna breaks codes and illusions
What if fashion were no longer a question of appearance, but of perception? This is the question Demna poses with his Balenciaga Autumn-Winter 2025-2026 show, a veritable manifesto against stereotypes and conventions. In a setting as unsettling as it is original, the designer deconstructs expectations to redefine the future of fashion.
An immersive setting for challenging standards
From the very first moments, the experience is disconcerting. A gigantic dark cube, punctuated by black curtains, welcomes guests, who discover an intriguing warning: “You can’t go out again”. Here, everyone is in the front row, erasing the hierarchy inherent in fashion shows. A symmetrical labyrinth, with multiple entrances and exits, illustrates the very essence of the creative process: unpredictable, destabilizing, but necessary.
The changing room: a tension between classicism and subversion
In this collection, Demna juggles rigor and chaos, structure and disorder. The show opens with a series of impeccable suits, playing on the idea that clothing doesn’t define the wearer. Gradually, rigidity gives way to unexpected combinations: polo shirt and motorcycle helmet, tracksuit and sleeveless down jacket. An everyday wardrobe transcended by Balenciaga technique.
Women’s silhouettes oscillate between tradition and modernity, with shearling inspired by the company’s archives or a hoodie evoking a 1967 wedding dress. For men, sportswear dominates, with fleece jogging suits adorned with a faux-fur hood and a flagship collaboration with Puma, reinterpreting the Speedcat sneaker.
When accessories become a message at Balenciaga
Details are never insignificant at Demna. Among the striking accessories: Alpinestars SMX-2 and Morph gloves, adorned with piercings, echoing the faces of the models; astrological necklaces, as a statement of identity; and bracelets imitating watches… without the time, a nod to the illusion of time and appearances.
This show asks: how can we assert our individuality in a standardized era? More than a collection, Demna proposes a reflection, where each garment becomes a sign, each accessory a warning: don’t be fooled by appearances.
Also read: Isabel Marant fashion show: freedom between grunge and bohemia
