The brand’s contents on all social media channels have been deleted

Balenciaga’s Instagram page yesterday evening

We were caught unaware; we didn’t think there would be other fashion houses following the track left by Bottega Veneta. Balenciaga is going back to a clean slate. Some time this week, the house whose haute couture division is being brought back by Demna Gvasalia after 53 years, has removed all its content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. No explanation is given. No statement from Balenciaga yet. Has the cultural and commercial value that brands supposedly derive from social media declined to the point that some may just choose to opt out of Facebook and the like entirely?

People are speculating that this is in preparation of the haute couture show, scheduled for 7 July. But why would the reintroduction of high fashion require the removal of social media content that has been there for a considerable while? Whatever the reason (marketing stunt included), does it not seem a little impertinent to just suddenly wipe out all content when there are still active followers—in the case of Balenciaga’s IG, 11.6 million? And these people don’t care that they’re simply ignored? (Balenciaga already did not bother about what followers had to say when the comment feature was turned off on IG.) Or, have we simply no understanding of how social media works between fashion brands and followers, nor realisation that decorous behaviour doesn’t belong here?

Screen grab: Balenciaga/Instagram