Why Balenciaga is no longer just about perfection: Spring 2022
The Balenciaga Spring 2022 collection is now released and this year deals with a topic that is more topical than ever. Technological progress seems to be not only a blessing for a long time, but also distorts the perception of reality in a dramatic way. Due to the technology-influenced state, people find it difficult to differentiate between edited and authentic content, leading to a frightening reality: a world full of digital clones.
The collection consists of 44 looks in total, presenting not only new shapes and the most diverse silhouettes, but also functional accessories. Prints created from the totality of Balenciaga products are intended to remind, for example, icons of the computer desktop. The color black is constant throughout the collection, although bright colors and floral prints can be seen again and again.
Photo: Balenciaga
Under the name "The Hacker-Projects" Balenciaga also launched bags, which are absolutely identical to the all-famous Gucci monogram bags, but with double-B, instead of the iconic double-G logo. With this, Balenciaga criticizes and questions authenticity and counterfeiting in the current fashion industry. This intention is also underlined by prints such as "No Comment", "Your Ad here over a hotline number" and "Bébé" - the French term for baby, but also the pronunciation of the double-B monogram.
Photo: Balenciaga
The cyber-goth style is also picked up, be it in cargo pants, skirts or overalls. These were worked up with accessories such as metal hoops, rivets, and zippers and are usually combined with hoodies. These possibly also symbolize the anonymity of people and make the model on the catwalk, which by the way was always the same, hardly recognizable. The theme of the deep fake and digital clone can therefore also be pursued in the fashion show.
Evening fashion was also not to be missed in the collection. Especially fascinating was definitely the last part on the catwalk. A red, long velvet dress, reminiscent of Cristóbal Balenciaga's first collections, but inspired by drag artists, according to designer Demna Gvasalia.
Photo: Balenciaga
The fashion show, which is available on YouTube, is a staging. The audience, dressed in all black, marvels at the collection while many smartphones are pointed at the catwalk. Thus, it is a "show that never happened", questioning the authenticity of our everyday life.
