Over half a century since Balenciaga closed the doors of its couturier, Demna Gvasalia opened them with a flourish in Paris. Having restored the original couture salons to their former glory, Gvasalia presented a collection that celebrated the legacy of Balenciaga and simultaneously thrust it into the 21st century. His starting point was a tuxedo owned by Cristóbal Balenciaga himself, which Gvasalia studied meticulously to unlock the secrets of its construction.
Floral-embroidered silk ball gowns worn with opera gloves were shown alongside denim jackets, for example, which reflects Gvasalia's desire that these are clothes people will actually want to wear in their daily life. He has said that he sees the re-opened couture house as a kind of antidote for over consumption, an ironic sentiment coming from the man who sold trainers and hoodies like nobody else.