BALENCIAGA Pre-Fall 2023

It’s that time of year again, and Balenciaga is back with its pre-collection release, which usually happens in December. As we all know, last year was quite unusual for the fashion brand, but now the lookbook is out ahead of the collection’s delivery to stores.

The dressing room selfies featured in the collection are a cleverly staged invitation for customers to come back to the shops. The photos also serve as a reminder that Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna, is one of the key architects of contemporary fashion, as was evident in his fall runway show in Paris. In fact, nearly half of the 11 trends Vogue Runway identified back in January, when cataloging the pre-fall collections, seem traceable to Demna. These include the emphasis on exaggerated suiting, the embrace of couture-ish shapes, and the return of rave jeans.

This collection encompasses all of those categories, with a focus on tailoring. Black double-breasted blazers are alternately puffed up with a layer of padding or cropped at the hips, with the hems tucked under in almost makeshift fashion. Demna also cut similar styles in glen plaids and checks.

Unlike the runways, Balenciaga’s pre-season collections are geared towards daily wear. Therefore, the collection features oversize parkas, peacoats, and trenches with more of those folded under hems, fluid velvet sweatsuit separates in surprising pastels, and denim in both raver proportions and a newer skinny cut lopped off at the knees. There are a couple of full-length looks in a quotidian key, one dress in a body-conscious knit and a shrunken logo hoodie and matching ankle-length skirt in what looked like stretch velvet. Demna is likely to focus more on Cristobal’s direction at the couture show in July.

Demna himself recently attended the Met Gala, where he hosted a Balenciaga table with four emerging designers and their dates. In some photos, he can be seen holding a Balenciaga sneaker. As for the accessories in this collection, the story was evolution, with new, sportier shapes of Le Cagole and Pantashoes with sexy fishnet overlays.

Overall, Balenciaga’s pre-collection for this year continues to impress with its attention to detail, innovative designs, and daily-wear focus. The brand is clearly keeping up with contemporary fashion trends, and Demna’s creative direction is still making a significant impact in the industry.