BALENCIAGA WINTER 2025: A STUDY OF STANDARD DRESS CODES

On March 9, Balenciaga opened its backstage to immerse the crowd into the unexpected, a symmetrical maze of possibilities and surprises. The act of everyone getting a front-row seat, in a low light setting that disturbed the viewing of the clothing, to show one of the tamest collections of his tenure at the brand is rather interesting. This is one of his most methodical and curated collections up to date, because the lack of gimmick made the consumer need to view the pieces up-close. In this room we could observe ambassadors like Isabelle Huppert or friends of the house like Romeo Beckham, Alessandra Ambrosio, Alexis Stone, Rachel Sennott or Mark Eydelshteyn.

While Demna still needs to present Haute Couture in July, his last ready-to-wear collection for Balenciaga ranges from businesswear to sportswear, without forgetting an impactful eveningwear selection. First looks played with the understanding of what it means to wear a suit, where an anatomic approach made the model’s attitude shine. Then we were surprised with Supermini silhouettes comprising sweater dresses cinched with giant pins and “swimdresses” in water-sport spandex that offer single-garment ensembles. Standard garments are inverted and twisted while preserving their authenticity like a double-breasted beige cashmere coat that is finished with broken buttons. The whole idea was to twist standard fits and garments into a fashion context, a wardrobe underpinned by dressmaking principles.

Although the distortion and versatility of the archetypal Demna’s fit were the main aspect of the collection, the heritage of the Spanish designer was present throughout some looks with references to some looks made for Bunny Mellon, the House’s 1951 Semi-Fitted line and Balenciaga’s 1967 wedding dress. To create desirability and relativity over the mass, collaborations also flooded the catwalk with examples by PUMA or Alpinestars that reworked some of his classics in favor of the deconstruction and grunge elements that the designer has been working over the years with the design team at the Kering owned Maison.

Across 80 looks, Demna has developed a conversation in what feels urgent in fashion and what is the standard nowadays. He does not want to create virality out of gimmicks, just distilled pieces that resemble the silhouette that he has implemented into the Maison, but focusing on the wearer and the final product that would be in stores. A decade into his distinctive creative vision for a house like Balenciaga, we can see that his offering is still developing into the ideal contemporary wardrobe without forgetting to bet on new environmentally conscious materials and the dressmaking codes that define the work of Cristobal.

Words: @alraco43