The Cartoon Democratization of Balenciaga

Published on SCAD Manor on 10.8.21

Graphic by Fai McCurdy
Words by Nicholson Baird

Since he was appointed the Creative Director at Balenciaga in 2015, Demna Gvasalia has become a trailblazer bringing streetwear to high fashion. Balenciaga has set a precedent in sending semi-functional oddities down the runway from outrageously large sneakers to sweatshirts that sell for four figures. In their Spring 2020 show, the brand’s narrative began to shift towards including a more traditional sense of high fashion with their now-famous crinoline dresses that ended the show. In July, the revitalization of their couture house was a strong statement that while Gvasalia is an expert at streetwear, he is also extremely proficient in evening wear. This is not necessarily a change in direction for the brand but rather a broadening of horizons.

We have watched for six years as Gvasalia has brought apocalyptic sensibilities to rather functional wardrobe staples, inspired mainly by his growing up during the turmoil of the Georgian Civil War. Balenciaga has become the poster child for turning mass appeal into luxury; now, they are bringing the upper-echelon of fashion to the masses.

At their Spring 2022 show this past weekend in Paris, guests walked into the Théâtre du Châtelet on a red carpet lined with shouting paparazzi. As guests entered the theater, they found a large screen live streaming the red carpet itself. The Livestream showcased celebrities like Cardi B, Elliot Page, and Ella Emhoff alongside their familiar cast of models. This presentation seems to be a culmination of Balenciaga’s energy in the past few months. The brand has recently begun popping up on red carpets, most notably that of the Met Gala in early September. After years of ambiguous models in their advertisements, Justin Bieber has been plastered on their billboards around the globe. Kim Kardashian, arguably one of the most commercialized (and famous) humans in the entire world, has appeared in multiple renditions of the same fully veiled Balenciaga gown.

You might be asking yourself, how does dressing A-list celebrities on some of the most exclusive red carpets democratize a brand? While the idea of celebrity seems to be this far-off inaccessible aspiration, it is in all actuality a piece of pop culture that connects more “style-deprived” people to the fashion industry than they are even aware of. A suburban mother in Wichita, Kansas, might not have any clue of the messaging behind Demna Gvasalia’s designs coming out of Paris. Why should she? But I would bet my bottom dollar that she has seen at least one, if not many, photos of Kardashian in that already infamous gown on the Met steps, whether it be on Facebook, the cover of a tabloid, or in the morning news. The red carpet is one of the most accessible ways for mass amounts of people in America to connect to celebrity fantasy.

Back in Paris, the second half of the Balenciaga presentation was a special ten-minute long style-studded episode of The Simpsons. This episode follows Homer Simpson as he emails Balenciaga, desperate for a last-minute birthday present for Marge, requesting the label’s cheapest thing. Marge then receives a green gown with Balenciaga-staple ridiculous shoulder pads that she wears around Springfield. After a Simpson-ified Gvasalia hears of how special Marge felt in the dress, he flies the Balenciaga team across the Atlantic to recruit the people of Springfield to model his following collection. The special episode is a highly self-aware experience, which is not often embraced in the fashion industry. I have a hard time believing any other brand besides Balenciaga would have the gumption to make a joke out of their own sky-high price tags or even collecting the tears of Anna Wintour.

Gvasalia has created a collaboration that has actual substance to it, which has become a rarity recently. While the Simpsons episode, the red carpet show, or the Justin Bieber ad may seem like just some isolated and semi-strange marketing moves, it has become evident that Balenciaga’s next chapter is to bring a sense of ridiculous couture to the masses. After a (sorry) rather generally uninspired fashion month, Balenciaga made me excited about fashion. This attitude change or stroke of genius marketing feels genuinely in-on-the-joke, a sentiment that I think the industry could use a lot more of. After years of dystopian functionality, Gvasalia seems to have pivoted to love fashion just for the sake of fashion itself. The creation of a little bit of madness cutting through the mundanity is refreshing, exciting, and palpable.

Info Instagram

The Cartoon Democratization of Balenciaga

Index Next︎