June 8, 2021

Balenciaga’s Fashion Commentary on Authenticity and Sense of Reality for Spring ‘22

In an unprecedented tour de force, Balenciaga’s Spring 22 presentation gave onlookers much to chew on. Model Eliza Douglas, who has either opened or closed every Balenciaga show for the last several years, appears solo on the digital runway—showcasing each ensemble via clones.

Backed by a soundtrack from BFRND featuring an AI voiceover reciting the lyrics of LA Vie En Rose, there’s plenty of graphics, florals and standout solids. Chainmail headpieces draped over the head to mimic cascading golden braids are featured throughout the collection in addition to various mixed metals used to accent pieces.

 

“[This] presentation considers our shifting senses of reality through the lens of technology. We see our world through a filter […] We no long decipher between unedited and altered, genuine and counterfeit, tangible and conceptual, fact and fiction, fake and deep fake.”

A unique line of accessories dubbed The Hacker Project boasts interpreted highly recognizable Gucci classics as Balenciaga product. The Balenciaga Croc 2.0 is introduced along with four new handbags; the Mag Basket, Fast Clutch, Monday Shopper and Hourglass Frame.

Graphic prints are also seen with tongue in cheek slogans regarding authenticity like ‘Your Ad Here’, ‘No Comment’ and even a special Simpsons offering where the infamous characters are donned in past recognizable Balenciaga articles.

Think oversize, exaggerated, slightly off-kilter, but with impeccable construction. Purposefully haphazard, this collection is sure to be seen in many editorials and celebs as there’s nothing quite like it on the market.

balenciaga.com