Every Look From Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 2023 Haute Couture Collection
Demna's latest haute couture collection for Balenciaga is a "tribute to pursuing perfection."
Demna's previous collections for Balenciaga were marked with extremely oversized tailoring against skin-tight bodysuits, the designer has found a middle ground for his Fall/Winter 2023 collection, without giving up his signature aesthetic.
The collection began with a re-imagination of a black gown designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, originally modeled by Danielle Slavik and later purchased by Grace Kelly for her 40th birthday party. Slavik returned to the runway to showcase Demna's reinterpretation, a gesture to the Maison's legacy.
However, the collection quickly finds its footing in Demna's signature style. Structural suits, though more fitted than the designer is known for, boast sculptural shoulders while outerwear pieces and winter accessories have undergone a two-day process of hand-sculpting to create a windblown effect.
But it's the eveningwear that makes a couture collection so special. One taffeta gown has been treated with liquified plastic and shaped around the bodice, while a bustier dress made of 10,000 crystals took 900 hours to make as 3D-printed resin stone settings were each individually applied. Taking into consideration all of this craftsmanship, the finale look is a chrome-polished gown made of 3D-printed armor, a nod to technological advances as well as the importance of human skill. While mere mortals can never be perfect, the beauty is in the attempt.