RUNWAY | REVIEW
The New Chapter of Balenciaga
By Cecilia Zhang
Courtesy of Balenciaga
Demna Gvasalia’s first collection for Balenciaga at Fall 2016 Paris Fashion Week debuted on March 6. Prior to join Balenciaga, his revolutionary label Vetements featured a style of deconstruction has already swept the fashion world and made him one of the most topical fashion designers.
Gvasalia presented a return to Cristóbal Balenciaga and reimagined Cristóbal’s play with proportion and exaggerated silhouette. “My first priority was to understand the methodology of Cristóbal, his work around the body, and how to do it today, in 2016,” he told a reporter at WWD. By showing some button-down jackets with curved shoulders and padded hips, three-quarter-length skirts with a kick pleat in the front and Balenciaga’s iconic cocoon-shaped coats, Gvasalia proved his ability to design Balenciaga’s classic architectural garments for elegant women. |
Balenciaga Fall 2016 RTW Collection Photos: Monica Feudi / Indigital.tv/Voguerunway
In addition to reviving old styles of Balenciaga, Gvasalia embraced what he did at Vetements- upgrading streetwear, to make this collection more unique, modern and sharp. The off-shoulder trench coat with a rounded shape on the sleeves is a Vetements classic. The multi-print paisley and floral collage dress with sexy flashes of candy cane striped legs also echoed the styles shown on Vetements runway.
Balenciaga Fall 2016 RTW Collection Photos: Monica Feudi / Indigital.tv/Voguerunway
Vetements Spring 2016 RTW Collection Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com/Voguerunway
The twist of past and present Gvasalia offered Balenciaga fans is completely different than past designers such as Alexander Wang and Nicolas Ghesquière, and will open a new chapter for the house
Vetements Spring 2016 RTW Collection Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com/Voguerunway
The twist of past and present Gvasalia offered Balenciaga fans is completely different than past designers such as Alexander Wang and Nicolas Ghesquière, and will open a new chapter for the house
The Most Unique Find
Not only garments of Demna Gvasalia’s first collection for Balenciaga reflected the Vetements’s street style, but also the accessory is inspired by the huge market bag with colorful stripes pattern. People used to call it "Chinese laundry bag". In China, almost every market sells similar nylon bags for people to transport large quantities of stuff for less $10. Chinese laundry bag producing factory.
Photo by Stephanie Syjuco |
Photos: Monica Feudi / Indigital.tv/Voguerunway
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It’s not the first time Chinese laundry bag has made its way up to high fashion.
It’s not the first time Chinese laundry bag has made its way up to high fashion.
Handbag from the Louis Vuitton Spring 2007 Runway.
Photo by Don Ashby & Olivier Claisse/Voguerunway It’s not the first time Chinese laundry bag has made its way up to high fashion. In the Louis Vuitton Spring 2007 Collection, Marc Jacobs created the luxury version of China-originated red-white-blue bag stamped with a passport style Louis Vuitton logo ($595) . |
Thom Browne For Metal Magazine Summer/Spring 2013
Photographed by Charlie Engman, styledo.se Thom Browne took the shopping bag concept a step further in his 2013 S/S Collection. He Not only transferred the recognizable pattern onto structural jackets and skirts, but also splashed more colors on it. |
Left: Oversize coats from Stella McCartney 2013 A/W Collection
Right: Jacquard coat by Celine. On the runway of the 2013 A/W Paris Fashion Week, the influence of the Chinese shopping bag pattern continued to expand. Two designers, Stella McCartney and Celine’s Phoebe Philo used these funny and cheap plaids to create their coveted oversized coats. |
Source: vans.com
At the end of 2014, Vans Syndicate’s collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Alexis Ross used the Chinese Laundry bag pattern and textile to promote recycle and living a green life. |
It seems that Chinese laundry bag are recognized by mainstream fashion. They’re super cheap, but utterly durable and fashionable.