Balenciaga Spring 2021 Playfully Defies Fashion's Norms
Wrinkled hoodies, body-swallowing coats and even the dreaded toe shoes.
Balenciaga‘s runway shows are nearly as headline-worthy as the clothing, which is still spearheaded by lightning rod creative Demna Gvasalia. Spring 2021 is a sort of reset point, however, as the socially-distant Balenciaga team issues a deceptively straightforward seasonal lookbook, which serves to emphasize the quirky garments.
Designed to replicate a buyer’s line sheet — down to the fabric composition and product numbers — the lookbook offers a relatively unmitigated look at the luxury house’s new items, which are particularly playful this go-round. Though Gvasalia insisted that the collection is “an experiment in showing you don’t always need the new,” but there’s plenty of items that demonstrate the Balenciaga design team’s growing surefootedness with its distinctive approach to style.
Classic Balenciaga items, including oversized sweaters, hoodies and graphic tees, return with new prints and branding, and some familiar silhouettes, like car coats, cocoon shirts and slouchy jeans, are gently tweaked and elevated with revised cuts, patterns and fabrication (regenerative, Earth-friendly lyocell is utilized for one coat). Its soft mule (read: logo-laden slippers) return alongside new footwear styles like the surely-divisive Toe Sneakers and Molded Thong Sneakers, which appear to repurpose the sole of the popular Speed Trainers.
View the latest menswear and womenswear looks from Balenciaga above and expect the label to create another runway spectacle later this year. In the meantime, relive its tongue in cheek Fall/Winter 2020 campaign.
