Balenciaga Created a Somber, Snowy Squall to Honor Ukraine
There’s something to be said about the way in which brands use their voice during times like these.
Balenciaga opened its fall 2022 with a statement from creative director Demna, formerly known as Demna Gvasalia, which addressed the attacks on Ukraine and his own personal experience as a refugee from his native country of Georgia. “The war in Ukraine has triggered the pain of a past trauma I have carried in me since 1993, when the same thing happened in my home country and I became a forever refugee,” he wrote. “This show needs no explanation, it is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace.”
There’s something to be said about the way in which brands use their voice during times like these: pre-show, Balenciaga wiped its Instagram feed, save the sole image of the Ukrainian flag. (Demna also had oversized Ukrainian flag t-shirts placed on every guest’s seat.) As show attendees, including Kim Kardashian—who wore yellow Balenciaga logo tape head-to-toe—took their seats, the lights went on to reveal a blustery snow squall happening from behind a glass wall. It was operatic and poetic in form and escapist all at once.
Models traipsed through the snow—their hair, pants, dresses, and whatever other accessories they carried blowing behind them from the sheer force of the wind. It was an aesthetic show of resistance for sure, both figuratively and literally; a large part of the collection was done in somber yet powerful tones of all-black.
While a number of Balenciaga signatures—sock boots, floral patterned dresses with matching attached gloves—made appearances, there were also new pieces that evoked a defiant feeling, appearing as a kind of protective armor. Many of the looks were truly head-to-toe: they covered hands, fingers, feet, and necks—even eyes with oversized sunglasses. Where there was skin showing, it was flanked by strong statements: shorts and sneakers with a blanket thrown over the shoulders, for example.
The Balenciaga tape look Kim Kardashian wore also came in its own runway form, and according to the brand, the tape itself will be sold on its own for a DIY approach. But perhaps the most poignant part of the collection, however, were the accessories. Boots were slung over shoulders and merged together as one into an awkwardly satisfying tote bag version of the ubiquitous Le Cagole bag, while large, unstructured bags in black and white looked like trash bags.
Both were references to Demna’s own refugee experience. Still, the collection left me wanting more innovation and newness—many of the silhouettes, prints, and shapes were Balenciaga staples already introduced to its fan base time and time again. Against such a spectacular set, certain signatures felt lackluster.
A turquoise gown with a train that blew in the wind closed the show, as lights flashed throughout the venue and the snow continued to fall. Without context, it would have just been a beautiful gown that recalled much of Demna’s previous work for the brand. But in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the designer’s statement, it stood as an unwavering symbol of resistance. The show also did something that other brands have failed to achieve this season: it offered up the concept of escapism and using your voice in more ways than one.
