If you’re seeking cool clothes to add to your fall wardrobe, Balenciaga has you covered. Backstage at the brand’s winter 2025 show, held inside the Dome Courtyard in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, creative director Demna explained what he defines as his most wearable collection yet.
“Fashion is wearable. Fashion is urgent. Fashion is right now. I miss that kind of fashion. It was the hardest season to make a normal jacket, finding the golden ratio. My fashion shows the brain behind dressmaking rather than make-believe fashion as art,” he explained, before adding, “Do I want to do fashion that grabs attention, or do I want a person wearing my clothes telling me, ‘This is the best coat I’ve been wearing for the last five years’?”
The show, set in a maze of corridors, was constructed, as Demna himself put it, “to give everyone a front row seat.” Tonight, that included an eclectic mix of guests like Anora star Mark Eydelshteyn, Romeo Beckham, Naomi Ackie, and Juyeon. It opened with a bevy of tailored suits worn by men and women, part of the creative exercise he demonstrated by wearing one and showing me how easy it was to take off.
Furthering the corpcore aesthetic—a path the designer admitted was initially forced upon him in school, where he studied international economic trade—were great floor-length duster coats, a trench coat, and a white shirt reimagined as a sculpted bustier, styled with a low-rise denim skirt and worn as a fitted minidress, showing its versatility from weekday to weeknight.
Demna professed not only love for suits, but also eveningwear and streetwear. The collection’s pièce de résistance was the swimsuit dress. One was a basic tank style made from waterproof spandex shown in white and royal blue that seamlessly evolved into a gown train. Others in black and hot pink caused a double take as they more closely resembled slinky knit jersey.
“I’m most proud of this garment because I wanted completely senseless swimwear,” Demna says. “Something that is made for a picture on the beach or a pool. Everything is so visual; we need that.” Opera coats with cinched waists were made from puffer coats, red plush fabric, and faux fur.
For everyday dressing, he turned a few classics backward: a three-quarter zip-neck sweater zipped in the back, creating a flared collar in front in a nod to founder Cristóbal Balenciaga’s designs for Bunny Mellon, or a typical ribbed sweater dress flipped around and cinched at the waist with a decorative pin. A massive hoodie dress gave wearable blankets a run for their money, and slimmed-down puffer jackets were given the bustier treatment and adorned with giant furry hoods.
Authentic streetwear was evidenced in the collaboration with Puma, inspired by what Demna has dubbed “urban European streetwear.” Thus, nylon bombers and zip-up hoodies were fashioned into miniskirts for the ladies, and the uniform of young Parisian guys who spend their days on scooters making deliveries (think: track pants, vests, and helmets) was realized. In particular, the Speedcat Sneaker was given the Balenciaga touch, and a trompe-l’œil suede bathrobe coat lined with brushed reverse fleece winked carried both a hint of irony and fashion art.
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