Couture as culture | Balenciaga

Compendium, people, places, things (vision)

Pierpaolo Piccioli is one of my favorite creative directors, and I’ve written about his work before. His recent debut couture show for Balenciaga has once again he has thrilled my design eye.

He adapts his work with the house he is working for: memorably for Valentino, and now for Balenciaga. He sourced the brand’s history, delved into the very soul of its founding designer Cristóbal Balenciaga’s archives to emerge with a dramatic collection. Inspired by history, transformed for the present, the collection was filled with feathers, hand painting, structured shapes and oversized poofs, shirring and dramatic necklines. The palette was divine, a balance of colors and neutrals, with pops of jewel tones like bright green, purple, and electric blue. Long silhouettes prevailed, with sculptural effects that he paird with flowing, swishy movement.

On a closer look, the designer explained the technique and handiwork behind some of the collection’s masterpieces: handpainted shards of fabric adhered and covered with sequins; appliques and fine details like deep, scooped necklines cut from a single piece of fabric. What inspires me is the final cohesive presentation, a single theme expressed in a myriad of designs, each special and yet connected to the whole without rigidity. Like the clothes themselves, fluid yet structural, intricate without showiness – and a true sense of modernity that holds the house’s past in its heart.