Balenciaga SS20 Delivered More Jumbo Silhouettes, New Sneakers
Immense jackets, jeans and gowns, plus plenty of cheeky graphics.
Balenciaga‘s Fall/Winter 2019 collection showcased the growth of the house that Demna Gvasalia and his team turned into a billion-dollar brand. Spring/Summer 2020 builds upon motifs explored in the prior range, with a host of playful graphics, technical sneakers and wardrobe staples revamped into imposing silhouettes.
The genderless runway presentation yielded boxy blazers and trench coats for men and women alike, with plenty of experimentation with Gvasalia’s preferred cut: big boxy shoulders with a nipped waist. Monochrome blazers featured extended arms and Mastercard-inspired logos, eventually giving way to colorful suits layered atop floral shirts that matched prim dresses. Heavy pleats and Balenciaga’s familiar washed denim appeared later, anchored by lug-soled derbies, square-toed boots and several new leather bag silhouettes.
Eventually, slim graphic T-shirts with slogans like “b@len©i@9a” and “X-RATED” emerged, styled atop slim trousers and a brand new sneaker silhouette. Naturally, it appears to be as big, if not bigger, than the Track.2, with “TYREX” printed at the front of the squared-off toe. Neck-covering track jackets and windbreakers demonstrated more proportion play, underscored by immense short-sleeved shirts and more boxy blazers. The show was ended with a set of gargantuan ball gowns, some complete with massive bows at the rear, reading like a lighthearted send-up of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s signature evening gowns.
Check out the key looks from Balenciaga SS20 above and watch the presentation in full below.
Elsewhere at Paris Fashion Week, Maison Margiela, Gvasalia’s former place of work, introduced a selection of dissected militaria.
