Pierpaolo Piccioli โUnveils First Collection as Balenciaga Creative Director
Paris – Pierpaolo Piccioli debuted his first collection for Balenciaga Saturday night, marking a โฃsignificant new era for the couture house following the departure ofโค Demna in May. A high-profile audience, including Anne Hathaway, Tracee Ellis Ross, FKA Twigs, and Meghan Markle, attended โthe show too witness Piccioli’s vision.
Piccioli’s collection served as a direct conversation with the โwork of Balenciaga founder Cristobal Balenciaga, reinterpreting his iconic designs for a contemporary audience while injecting his signature use of color.The show opened withโค a reimagining of the โข1957 sack dress-a revolutionary silhouette at the time-pairedโค with opera gloves, black pumps, and oversized sunglasses.
Further nods to Cristobal’s legacy included a brightโค chartreuse cocoon coat,an indigo halterneck babydoll dress,and variations on the 1967 wedding dress โsilhouette,appearing asโ both a cropped โcrepe top and a leather cape. The balloon dressโ was subtly referenced in a merlot leather jacket and more explicitly in bubble-hemmed trousers,dresses,and skirtsโ in shades of โคblack,emerald,and pink.
Piccioli also acknowledged his predecessor, Demna, with โฃthe inclusion of baggy jeans and โฃshorts, and futuristic sunglasses. However, the collection’s strength layโ in itsโค elevation of everyday pieces-leather jackets,โ T-shirts, chinos, and โฃsunglasses-through coutureโข construction techniques. Cristobal Balenciaga was widely known as ‘The Master’ of haute couture, and Piccioli’s approach isโ seen โby manyโ as a fitting tribute to the house’s founder.