This season, Balenciaga seemed to say, “you want more? You get more.” Pile it on, including hang tags

The Balenciaga woman or man, or they, is, by now, aesthetically well established. These are characters the likes of Bella Hadid cannot play (even an LA Ah Lian), at least not on the runway—fashion’s dispossessed, but with a keen eye for the eye-catchingly disarranged. No matter how fashionably togged they are, they are indisputable oddities—those fashion folk from the fringes, or fakedom. But for the present season, Demna Gvasalia moved a little away from hulky silhouettes and the indiscriminate dark sums of clothing that vagrants tend to adopt, as seen in the current spring/summer season. Sure, models of unconventional beauty are still there (some appearing to chew gum, as if in deliberate defiance of respecting the better behaved attendees), but they appeared less hardcore, more like fans who couldn’t pull themselves out of an entrenched and expensive habit.

There is, presumably, pressure to keep up with the generating of the novel or the wayward. Mr Gvasalia has said that he is inspired by what is already worn, among his staff, his inner circle, and the people he sees on the street. His Balenciaga exaggerates the forms of those garments that catches his eye (without necessarily reinventing them) and, oftentimes, enhances the banality of the already inane. Or the superfluous. So, this season, the hang tag, for example, dangled from the hem of sleeves, as a noticeable element of his designs. In fact, so innovative the dangling of the unneeded was that even Kim Kardashian, who, unsurprisingly, attended the show (she is the brand’s ambassador), appeared in an outfit with the hang tag not removed, prompting the suspicion that Ms Kardashian has always worn what she is told to wear (as she did with her ex-husband), like a mannequin.

Other than the hang tags, Mr Gvasalia was inspired by more useful receptacles, such as bags. One dress appeared to be made from a dust bag, with the drawstring opening as neckline. Another was a backpack as a backless top (save the bag’s broad straps; as well as a bum bag as a halter top) and teamed with a just-as-utilitarian skirt. There is no denying there is cleverness in the ideas, even humour, but would they serve fashion’s increasing need for aesthetical durability? One-season wonder? Or, was that beside the point? When he didn’t look around him for ideas, Mr Gvasalia continued with his deconstruction of wardrobe staples. Trench coats and blazers had sleeves hanging to the front, so that the garment—usually dresses—had halter necks, and the above-crotch part of denim jeans turned upside-down to be blouses. Elsewhere, dresses were patched-ups of parts of other garments, which had a Kolor vibe, but less orderly and less graphic. Or, a mix-up of unrelated garments that Madonna today would wear if it were her Like A Virgin era (even the guys get their pick). Overall, the silhouettes were moderately less distended, even if they were still rather oversized.

For men, robber get-up and vagabond clunk have not be kicked out (in the wake of the ads with S&M teddies, Mr Gvasalia still offered an outfit linked with chains). Suits with fits that seemed to mimic Donald Trump’s were aplenty. Phrases, but not MAGA, featured on the garments too. Unmissably Italian “Ciao Bello (hi, handsome)” was emblazoned on pullovers. There, too, was a version of the Keep Calm and Carry On motivational phrase, but now, the brand was urging you to …“Wear this Balenciaga Sweater”. Popular (or touristy?) touch, still with irony intact. As with how he turned the quickly-gone-viral DHL T-shirt (worn by the very young, now-employed-by-Kanye-West Gosha Rubchinskiy to open the brand’s spring/summer 2016 show) into a must-have when he was with Vetements, Mr Gvasalia now incorporated the logo of another huge American brand into the collection: eBay. And, predictably, they would be a hit. Earlier, attendees to the show were thrilled (and they shared their excitement on their socials) with the invite they received: a package in a brown box and secured with packing tape (with the eBay logo), which we remember to be Mr Gvasalia’s particular obsession. Unfortunately, they did not remained on the eBay parcels. There were the dresses and men’s tops, randomly clear-taped, and that roll of packing tape as bracelet!

Screen shot: balenciaga/YouTube. Photos: Balenciaga