Photo: Via Balenciaga livestream.
Today, we watched Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga debut with bated breath. Why? Because out of all the debuts this season, this one has the greatest potential for a total redirection. Demna, the designer who left Balenciaga earlier this year to join Gucci, had developed a distinct style over the past decade. That style included extremely oversized looks in mostly all black. In comparison, Piccioli has a love for color. Here’s everything (and everyone) we saw.
Photo: GC Images
Rita Ora
Photo: GC Images
Actress Zhang Xiaofei
Photo: VCG via Getty Images
After the fashion show, it’s the after-party. And celebrities like Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex herself, and more showed up for a dinner to celebrate the collection. If you missed the show, you can just keep scrolling. We have all the updates below.
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Rachel Sennott
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
Ariana Greenblatt
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
PinkPantheress
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
Emma Chamberlain
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
It’s not a Balenciaga show without a famous (and even controversial) front row. A-listers (and others…) have begun arriving at Pierpaolo’s debut: Ariana Greenblatt, a twirling Lauren Sánchez Bezos, PinkPantheress, Emma Chamberlain, and, thank God, Rachel Sennott have touched down.
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
The Duchess of Sussex and jam left behind the ranch and the garden and wherever else she films Love, Meghan and came to a runway show.
The two arrived at the same time, sharing an embrace outside of the entrance. I’m loving Anne’s Balenciaga band tee.
Photo: Courtesy of the Brand
The new Mrs. Bezos arrived early, giving the cameras a twirl. Is that a little bow in her hair?
Balenciaga streamed the show on YouTube today beginning on Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. EST. You can watch it below or get all the highlights here.
… well, kind of. The opening song for Piccioli’s debut was “In This Heart” by the Irish singer.
Photo: Courtesy of Balenciaga
A new era of Balenciaga: a voluminous black dress and a headpiece attached to a pair of sunglasses.
Photo: WWD via Getty Images
Of the many new silhouettes at the show we were drawn to this leather jacket with open sleeves. The modern shape is reminiscent of the houses ballooned jackets and dresses.
Photo: WWD via Getty Images
Photo: WWD via Getty Images
If there’s one thing Pierpaolo is going to do, it’s block his colors. Carry on, sir!
Photo: WWD via Getty Images
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Pierpaolo’s Balenciaga debut confirms the comfy footwear is here to stay — another in a long line of designers to do so. Instead of stiletto heels models had platform flip flops in what looks like leather and suede. We welcome a trend we can walk in!
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Piccioli’s affinity for color blocking lives on in his feathered looks.
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Perhaps the most coveted it-bag of the last two years has managed to stay afloat into a new era of Balenciaga. Congrats to city girls everywhere.
Photo: WWD via Getty Images
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Along with tiny bags and flip flops, he’s bringing back the opera glove. Models on the runway wore elbow length leather gloves with their platform flip flops.
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Listen up, we’re only taking critical essentials out on the town from now on. Pierpaolo said itty-bitty bags are back in.
Photo: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
If Mia Thermopolis Renaldi, princess of Genovia, grew up to be a fashion girl, this is what she’d be wearing. Regal, modern, confident. Slightly phallic, sure, but we’re willing to move past that.
Like Jonathan Anderson’s women’s wear debut at Dior, Piccioli’s first fashion show for Balenciaga ended in a standing round of applause. Even our Duchess of jams was on her feet.
Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Piccioli showed his debut collection for Balenciaga (succeeding Demna, who moved over to Gucci) after a 16-year run at the helm of Valentino. At his last gig, the designer was known for his use of vibrant colors (who could forget the year Pink PP was everywhere), his penchant for glamour and his wealth of knowledge when it comes to couture. Before Demna’s tenure at Balenciaga, the storied fashion house was a place where gorgeous gowns were rarely lacking in color or structure, which makes Piccioli, “a logical choice, perhaps a safe choice,” according to our fashion critic Cathy Horyn.
Ahead of his Balenciaga debut, invites started circulating and making some noise. The invite was a cassette tape, complete with a cassette player. On it is just the sound of a heartbeat. Be still.
