Founded by Spanish-born Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1917 and established in Paris in 1937, the original house of Balenciaga defined modern couture with its many innovations to form and technique.

Since his appointment as artistic director in 2015, Demna continues to uphold the vision of Balenciaga through boundary-pushing collections, which have expanded to include women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, and objets d’art. The brand’s unprecedented interactions with the expanding digital realm, material developments, and today’s social responsibilities keep it at the forefront of modernity. In 2021, Demna designed Balenciaga’s 50th couture collection—the house’s first since its founder retired in 1968 - reintroducing a standard of cutting-edge elegance.

Balenciaga puffer, biker, skater, and varsity jackets are reinvented, experimenting with volume and materiality. Parkas become wraps and gilets; peacoats and trenches are cropped and folded under; suit jackets or shirts are enlarged and doubled over or padded, creating several reconstructed silhouettes. Sweaters include integrated gloves or are made without seams. Casual separates like tracksuits, trousers, hoodies, and T-shirts are seen in distinctive proportions and elevated fabrics, like mirror satin, fluid velvet, bleached molleton, soft leather, and rubberized mesh. Jeans are tailored with organic Japanese, indigo ring Italian or soft lefthand twill denim.