Balenciaga staged their fall 2024 collection in Los Angeles. It was a parade of city slickers, street walkers, and the homeless

The sunlight was intense enough for it to cast distinct shadows of the palm trees of Windsor Street on the ground. Flanked by unfenced bungalows, this is where some of the city’s wealthiest keep a home (not, however, one of the guests of the show: Kim Kardashian). The LA mayor’s residence is somewhere on the stretch. Reportedly, those living here were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements about the event; some were even compensated for the “inconvenience”—such as having Nicole Kidman grace their neighbourhood? Fronting the photographers’ zone at the end of unadorned runway is the recognisable white Hollywood sign in the distance, looking not especially significant, like a marquee past its prime. However the view is framed, in most cases, it would be considered too touristy, even too tacky for a fashion show. Still, Balenciaga found it immensely charming.

Or, to its creative director, exotic. This is Demna Gvasalia’s fan-boy homage to Los Angeles (he did quotably declare it “my favourite city in the world”), with its inhabitants of showy celebrities or those waiting to be one; the individuals going about the city in their American fashion; the gym-goers who must let you know they workout; the actors hoping to be discovered; the hip-hop artists (Cardi B even walked the show) trying to appear anonymous, but are not; the beauty-moguls-waiting-in-the-wings, those whose main job is to look perpetually cool (or, just as bad, edgy); the dolled-ups heading for a red carpet; call girls not filming for OnlyFans; and, strangely, the vagrant and the homeless. Anyone, Balenciaga maintained, can be wearing anything and be fashionable or, at least, look it. The pedestrians and drifters went about, seemingly unconcerned with being watched and scrutinised. This was much like the cruise 2023 collection, shown last May, shown in front of the Balenciaga HQ in Paris. Only now, accompanied by a curious, percussive/chorus-y soundtrack—by Mr Gvasalia’s partner BFRND—with vocals that sounded like audio livestream selling (but not Mdada).

It has been a year since the Balenciaga advertising controversy that riled (and still does) many, but not, it appears, show attendee Kim Kardashian although she did briefly distance herself from the brand after the furore. The backlash was back then. Now, Mr Gvasalia seems to be in business-as-usual mode, even if the collection he presented was not exactly an aesthetic high. If you were a Balenciaga fan without the need to check your bank balance, you would have bought most of what was presented. In his favourite LA, Mr Gvasalia seemed to be parodying himself, while saluting Californian self-importance—everybody can be somebody, or when you’re out getting latte, make a statement—whether in formless or gormless clothes, it doesn’t matter. In March 2016, when Mr Gvasalia presented his first collection for Balenciaga, the clothes were unexpected and, therefore, felt fresh. Now, close to seven years later, the familiarity and staleness are still in blissful union, and showered in sunshine for the LA folks to enjoy, observably. But, is he reframing the narrative?

For a while, media not dependent on Balenciaga for ads and those individuals not requiring the brand’s freebies have been saying that Mr Gvasalia is becoming repetitive. It’s been suggested that Mr Gvasalia is running out of ideas, even when he has insisted that his proposals are based on what people generally like to wear. The suggestion may not be that wild. He has often looked to tinseltown to birth styles that could entice those for whom sweats in any shape or form are appealing and unchallenging. Early adopter Kanye West has made the oversized that shrouds the body not only a personal look, but one for his future-unclear Yeezy fashion line. The brand’s clothing has not been available for a considerably long time. There is, therefore, no competition for Balenciaga. “I don’t think there is any point to just showing nice clothes,” WWD quoted Mr Gvasalia saying. When ugly is the new nice, he sure was not kidding.

Screen shot (top) Balenciaga/YouTube. Photos: Balenciaga