Tag: balenciaga

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Fashion

The First Impressions, Paris

For some reason Paris Fashion Week felt a bit desperate for attention this season.  Pandering is never good.   In the crowded landscape designers are under pressure to get that viral moment to stand above the rest. For this reason, some collections looked disjointed, a circle in a square peg.  Creatively, the City of Lights fashion scene has become overly vulnerable to smartphone scrolling.

Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week Valentino

The big news, Alessandro Michele’s debut at Valentino.  The stage setting fitting for the Rome born designer: dreams and romance. That was the problem.  Valentino was a brand of refined elitism. Jackie O to Joan Collins, the Jet Set Crowd wore the label as an emblem of being in a certain club.  Alessandro’s collection, while lush, comes across as garish compared to the house’s past styles.  While in doubt of the 51-year-old talent, his Gucci era heavily influenced looks on the runway.  It is no secret Kering Group invested in the house, perhaps a way to challenge Louis Vuitton in the uber luxury brand category, however, as soft luxury is trending with shoppers, why did they allow Alessandro to drive the opposite direction?  

Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week Balenciaga

Demna at Balenciaga continues to challenge what makes fashion, fashion. The French label is popular with young buyers.  The oversized sneakers were a must have for anyone under twenty-five.  The giant logo on shirts worked in the Selfie Age.  In 2024 the Georgian born returned to what he did best.  Oversized jackets that belong on a lifeboat and baggy jeans were runway staples.  Inner wear for the night, perfect for going to the 1920’s KitKat club. Do these looks work with young people looking for the lowest price on an app? Only the book keepers at Balenciaga know the answer.

Stay tuned for more fashion weeks coverage and more episodes of the Before Tacky Podcast.

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Fashion

WHAT IS IT?

Balenciaga. Balenciaga. Cristobal’s influential namesake brand was once a trailblazer of inspiring silhouettes and shapes. Today, not so sure what to make of the Paris label.

The Shoulder Glove Bag is another gimmick to stand out. Ugly is my word for leather that more like a costume from a Talking Heads video.

Demma Gvasalia continues to head the social media favorite luxury design house at a time when his contemporaries colleagues at Gucci and Moschino have exited. Wondering here, is gimmicky fashion in fashion? $4,250 for an over the awkward top accessory seems a bit out of place. Is it just me!

Balenciaga
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Fashion Feature

Bondage and Social

It had to happen sooner or later. Trying to be relevant at the time being edgy, the silk threads will hit the fan. Balenciaga, the French Fashion House learned the hard way. The Bondage Teddy Doll Toddler campaign crashed the same as if a German Leader singing Beyonce at a karaoke bar. The fall out continues, at present everyone is “reevaluating” their relationship with the brand.

Looking over the images, I wonder what happened to the filters. Certainly one person at the multi billion luxury clothier could see a yellow light. Yet, for some reason I have a feeling they coward, preferring to be another deaf person in the room of blind people. You have to understand, the fashion business is allergic to the truth. One contrary word to group think, banishment!

Gemma Gvasalia has a done a seven year job of transitioning the fabled label to the top of fashion league. Making collections tailored fit for Instagram. Getting big names not only sitting front row but also in the runway shows. Coveted $750 worn High Tops trainers fly out the store. The $1,300 mini bag has become a must have. Any wonder why no one challenges his opinions? Yet, even the Georgian born designer learned, “live by the Gram, you can die on the Gram.”

Eating a slice of Humble Pie never killed anyone. The statements coming from Balenciaga have been the same as a screeching bird with two broken wings. First, scrubbing its Instagram account with the exception of a statement posting. Then saying the production company was responsible for the content. Launching a million dollar lawsuit against the creative team. Throwing a borrowed bucket of gasoline on a fire does not extinguish the flame. Owe up the mistake. In a few days the world will move on to the next social media outrage.

As far as I am concerned, “yes” the pictures are in poor taste. But then again, I would never pay $750 for a pair of worn High Tops.

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Fashion

Why I Lost It For Balenciaga?

Sometimes too much can be too much in the quest for fashion validation.

Fashion runs after trends instead of setting them. Instead of aspirational, it’s buy it now, be seen. Brands are all about the see me with the oversized branding for the Instagram Generation. Tacky be damned! Having written  about this theme for a while, I wonder what will be the long term effects on fashion houses. 

The Case: Balenciaga 

Balenciaga is a case study. Cristobal Balenciaga, saying the name conjures up sophistication, glamour, luxury, the absolute master of the fashion world. The Spanish born designer produced some of most striking creations ever made for a runway. Why? Because he sewed, cut, and designed. His looks were great works of art. WONDEROUS! Nothing was simple, everything was incredible. If a fashion lover needs inspiration, grab a book with his creations.

In the 21stcentury it is all about the branding for a picture on Instagram. Fashion houses are now owned by multinational companies looking at the bottom line. The Balenciaga brand is etched on baseball hats, chunky sneakers, kids clothing, and wear hoodies From the original bubble skirt to sweat pants, how did it come to this? “Cheapen” is not the term, “accessible overload” is what I like to say. 

After reviewing the menswear Spring 18 collection, I felt like Theresa May after an EU summit. I needed a shot of something to numb the pain. The inspiration was about the everyday guy. The windbreaker jacket with BALENCIAGA labeled over the chest reminded me of the front of a coming city bus.

What do I do? 

Every influencer has the “B” word well placed in their threads. The brand is having great success with the social media crowd. But I am sad with the feeling something has been lost.  Balenciaga’s appeal came from a gorgeous level of inaccessibility.