The Creative Director Champions Female Emancipation with Relaxed Runway Show.
While recent appointments at Chanel and Dior sparked plenty of noise during the current Paris fashion week, it was the first show from the iconic brand that truly captivated the press coverage. The show featured a unexpected guest: Meghan Markle, making her return to the European scene in a three-year period.
During the Saturday evening in the French capital, the spectacle of Chanel, Dior – and even another high-profile guest – were all outshone with the overwhelming presence of the Balenciaga show.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex delivered an extra layer of glamour and excitement to Balenciaga’s Paris show.
Before this development, the prevailing sentiment surrounding Piccioli's inaugural collection had been relatively serene. Balenciaga is a time-honored label, and Piccioli is globally acclaimed as a top-tier talent. Additionally, he is admired for his image of the kindest personality in the business. Many assumed that extravagant catwalk stunts had departed the house of Balenciaga with the exit of provocateur designer Demna to another luxury house. Yet, occasionally the kindest people can deliver surprises, and the royal benediction dramatically heightened the level of hoopla.
He sees himself as an architect, building forms that never touch the body.
Intriguingly, the central theme of Piccioli’s “manifesto”, as he described it backstage, was women's liberation. His primary reference was the iconic sack dress from 1957, a outline that maintains distance from the body, neither amplifying nor limiting a female form. He stated that this design was a radical expression of a evolving cultural mood that was beginning to move from the 1950s conservatism towards the more free-spirited era. The idea centered on advancement for females. It released women from the weight of clothes that rest heavily on the physique and define them by their shape. This design gave women the chance to move freely.”
The brand's legendary shapes made an appearance in the runway, such as this ‘cocoon’ coat.
Clothes that hold their form are central to the Balenciaga's philosophy. The designer compared this approach to design to being an architect: creating structures that avoid direct interaction with the body, while continuously keeping in mind the human beings who will inhabit and move within them. “Cristóbal Balenciaga was fascinated by the physique and with materials, and with a key factor – the gap separating them.”
Leading the presentation was a contemporary update of the sack dress, extended to an longline silhouette, paired with elegant gloves – but also with oversized sunglasses that acted as a direct nod to the bold aesthetic of the previous designer's tenure.
Piccioli, who at fifty-eight wears strings of beads and charms and projects an peaceful, free-spirited demeanor, is not interested in seeing design as a personal rivalry. He argues that it is more admirable for fashion artists to respect each other’s talents. He expressed that he was hoping for a “reconciliation” between the traditional craftsmanship of the fashion label, and its more recent streetwear era. The brand's legendary shapes were showcased in the show: a ‘cocoon’ coat, this time in a bold green hue, and a flared dress in a dramatic violent purple.
The archetype of French-girl chic has become a highly profitable trend. The American designer is an American man, but he masters this style code. Rider previously worked with a fashion icon during her tenure at the house, and then devoted a half-decade developing the American brand into a symbol of approachable fashion. In his current role, he is bringing the welcoming philosophy of American style to French fashion. He presented trench coats, straw baskets, and luxury fabrics draped on handbags – all the classic elements of French-girl chic – designed with bright hues, with an upbeat American tone. This is not an exclusive label, or a brand that wants to exclude people,” Rider stated post-presentation. “I hope that everyone feels desirable in the brand. When you wear this brand, you may not have the wildest design, but you have the best coat, and you have the self-assurance to wear it.”
