Balenciaga’s 2024 Couture Show Elevates Subculture to Couture 

For Balenciaga Couture, Demna likes to paint a bigger picture, one that goes beyond sticking to traditional house codes, and this collection is no exception. While echoes of the House's archives are present throughout, they are used to unpack subcultural aesthetics. One example of this is in the jersey and denim skater look, which is lined with black satin to give it a customized feel. Crushed black velvet, a goth staple, is taken to create a complex ballgown befitting a regal goth queen. Demna upgrades classic silhouettes to the level of Haute Couture. Everything is paired with the House's iconic opera-length gloves and Knife Pumps in patent leather this time around.

Many of Cristóbal Balenciaga's historic codes are also applied to this collection's stylistic repertoire. The first was the extravagant and avant-garde headwear displayed throughout the first half of the show. Hats that resembled extraterrestrial spaceships were presented in reflective metallic, windswept, but actually resin-cast fabric and different types of feathers. Hyper-realistic butterfly and birdwing veils were also shown in stark contrast to the clothes' dark colors and severe construction.

The cocoon silhouette was also a shocking self-reference, no more visible than in the final look. A spherical gown made of wrapped fabric usually used for lining couture delicately closed out the show. Slow and contained, the wrapped gown appeared to unravel at any second, a tense and exciting ending to a magical couture experience. The garment was wrapped right before the show and could only be worn once, fully embodying the true meaning of "1 of 1."

Most excitingly, this collection echoes the magic and glamour that Cristóbal Balenciaga would have appreciated. With a floor-length blue fur coat, a gown made entirely from Balenciaga belts, and multiple hand-embroidered pieces by Yumi Okita, Demna asserts his dominance over the meaning of couture.