March 5, 2018 |
Boom. Balenciaga is booming. In the eye of the snow storm sat a graffiti mountain, a “snowboarding paradise.” ‘Think Big,’ ’Be Aware,’ and ‘You Are the World’ it told us. Balenciaga is our new advisor. Monstrous and exhilarating, like a Demna collection always is. On fire. Adrenaline rushing. Today the women’s and men’s collections were officially unified and digitally fitted. Oh yes, Balenciaga went there. 3-D body scans and digital fittings to recreate Cristobal Balenciaga’s pristine tailoring through high tech moulding. It’s truly 2018.
Almost hypnotic, this was the Artificial Intelligence. The next future. It began completely controlled, serious hourglass shaped suit jackets were sculpted to perfection. They walked replicant style, robotically, the men in all those vivid velvet turtle necks that turned into gloves, an evolution of the iconic pant shoe. Neon peeked out from under jackets and on boots, yet a darkness in all that black lace draping over floral chiffon skirts flowing felt a little more human. Menacing strokes of the violin, terminator style, led the way for bigger and better. Ramping it up. Just when we thought he’d gone slimline, layer upon layer of tailored coats, jumpers, shirts, animal printed fur bulked up. Demna is still King of the puffa jacket – he cuts the best one and gives it that right amount of volume. Ultimate. Thrilling.
It was filled with all that Balenciaga swag in headscarves, thick gold chains and keys hanging off belts. New, totally practical accessories. Hoodies read ‘World Food Programme’ the “largest humanitarian organisation fighting hunger worldwide,” supported by Balenciaga. Hell yeah. 10% from every AW18 item sold will be donated to the programme, on top of the €250,000 the brand has already donated. This collection is everything we want, and want to do. Look good, do good. A rush of fuzzy bags, sci fi sunglasses, fringing flicking and the new Track sneaker. We’re overwhelmed. Demna Gvasalia is thriving at Balenciaga. Full (controlled) throttle down that snowboarding paradise slope. Hearts are pounding.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd Evans
