BALENCIAGA BY DEMNA: A DISRUPTIVE DECADE
After ten years at the creative helm of the Balenciaga maison, Demna Gvasalia is bowing out in grand style. A dedicated exhibition is set to tell the story of his decade at the house, alongside his final show during Haute Couture Week in Paris – which, incidentally, is a rare feat in the fashion world. It all proves that Demna is leaving behind a genuine legacy at Balenciaga. He already has his next challenge lined up: becoming the new creative director at Gucci, with his debut collection expected in March 2026.
THE DEMNA ERA
Over ten years, Demna radically transformed Balenciaga, establishing his unmistakable, subversive style. He has a masterful grasp of Haute Couture’s codes, which he fuses with his anti-fashion spirit. His oversized silhouettes deliberately stray from the conventions imposed by fashion’s elite circles.
XXL TALENT
With Demna, everything becomes XXL. His silhouettes are deconstructed, subversive and undeniably viral. He tackled subjects often ignored or masked in the fashion world, such as hyper-consumption. The first section of the exhibition is dedicated to what Demna himself calls “handmade”, showcasing how he repurposes everyday elements, stripping them from their original context to deliver sharp commentary on consumption, desire and social status.
While his approach might seem illogical at first glance, in Demna’s mind it was always crystal clear. He set out to provoke with torn, layered, unconventional pieces and collaborations that stirred debate – like the one with Gucci, where everything deliberately looked fake.
THE DEMNA VIRUS
Yes – Demna is a master at creating viral pieces: the Triple S trainers, the City bag that became a hit, the market-style tote turned chic, the skirt literally made from a towel, or even the bracelet crafted from a roll of tape. But these aren’t just gimmicks. They’re protests designed to make us question how far consumption can truly go.
“Balenciaga by Demna” is an immersive exhibition paying tribute to his vision. As visitors move through 101 iconic silhouettes from 30 collections, they’ll hear Demna’s own voice explaining his creations – a sonic chaos that makes everything feel even more real.
THE HAUTE COUTURE RENAISSANCE
A few years into his tenure – specifically in 2021 – the Georgian designer took a major step into the future by returning to the past. After 53 years away from Haute Couture, Demna revived the tradition passed down from the brand’s founder, Cristóbal Balenciaga.
According to Demna, the goal was to restore respect for the art of fashion, but without nostalgia. The idea was to interpret couture in a contemporary language, uniting two worlds that might seem far apart yet are connected by an invisible thread of love for tailoring.
MEMORABLE SHOWS
It all begins with a showcase of his first show invitations: a rose, hotel cards, divorce certificates, an old iPhone model, or simple receipts – objects reimagined to remind us that fashion can be coded, performative and go beyond what we see.
Demna excels at this. Who can forget the muddy, dark Spring/Summer 2023 show, or the one mimicking a snowstorm with models clutching bin bags – a powerful statement on the war in Ukraine that resonated deeply with Demna, himself a refugee since 1993 after his own country faced similar devastation.
Not to mention his first Haute Couture show for Balenciaga since 1968, staged in the maison’s historic salons.
The exhibition takes place in Paris from 26 June and concludes on 9 July with Demna’s final show for the house.
