DEMNA’S MESSAGE AT BALENCIAGA SS25 WAS CLEAR: “THE TIME HAS COME FOR FASHION TO HAVE A POINT OF VIEW.” DELIVERED BACKSTAGE AFTER A SHOW STAGED IN A DARKENED ROOM, THE COLLECTION WAS DEEPLY PERSONAL TO THE DESIGNER. HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DINING TABLE IN GEORGIA WAS WHERE HE FIRST DISCOVERED HIS LOVE FOR FASHION, CUTTING OUT AND DRESSING CARDBOARD FIGURES AS A CHILD. THIS INTROSPECTIVE REFLECTION SET THE STAGE FOR A COLLECTION THAT WAS ANYTHING BUT CHILDLIKE.

AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH WITH MULTI-FUNCTIONAL PIECES INSPIRED BY HISTORICAL DESIGN, SUCH AS A MEN’S JACKET FEATURING A MEDICI COLLAR REINTERPRETED AS A BUILT-IN CORSET. IN ONE STANDOUT MOMENT, RIGID STARCHED JEANS MIMICKED TURNED-UP LAPELS, DEMONSTRATING DEMNA’S PENCHANT FOR PUSHING BOUNDARIES. 

DEMNA’S EXCITEMENT MIRRORED THE ENERGY OF A CHILD AT PLAY, SHOWING THAT EVEN AFTER YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY, HIS ENTHUSIASM AND DRIVE TO INNOVATE REMAIN UNDIMINISHED. THIS SS25 COLLECTION UNDERSCORED DEMNA’S DETERMINATION TO CHALLENGE THE NORMS OF FASHION WHILE PAYING HOMAGE TO ITS HISTORY, COMBINING BOLD EXPERIMENTATION WITH DEEPLY PERSONAL ROOTS.