For the critics who may have felt these looks were on the familiar side, you missed the point. This was not a watershed moment or a chance taken to reinvent the wheel, but rather, an exercise in relativity. Inspired by some of the people he’s worked with across his life, the collection is an amalgam of what fashion has and still means to Demna. Bringing this sense of intimacy to the runway in a literal sense, some of these figures became models for the collection. It was a particularly special opening with Demna’s mother gracing the catwalk.
From there, F\fashion critic Cathy Horyn, Diane Pernet, Amanda Lepore, designer Linda Loppa, Balenciaga’s chief creative officer Martina Tiefenthaler, PR mogul Robin Meason, and makeup artist Inge Grognard were some of the handful of Demna’s real-life supporters that took to the runway’s challenging call. Big From the brand’s Instagram, onlookers might’ve popped Kim Kardashian on this list, but her look was actually shot before the show only to feature after she attended the show.
Demna’s outerwear took many forms for Spring/Summer 2024, including double-sleeved trenches and bomber jackets, as well as wool coats with cartoonish shoulders. Throughout the collection, upcycling was a major theme in his casual wear. Shredded jeans with mismatched legs, maxi skirts with contrasting laters and shift gowns redolent of reclaimed retro tablecloths had the idea of making something great with what you’ve got—a nostalgic kick for anyone who ever tried their hand at ‘design’ this way as a child.
Beautiful pleated gowns returned in black and grungey florals. Then, more long-sleeve, high-neck dresses concluded the show—some with off-beat features like protruding hips and some just simply striking.
Accessories took a bit of a backseat, but exaggerated pointed pumps, worn-in totes with padlocks cascading down the sides, and a passport waller were a nice touch that showed the designer was ready to keep having fun with his work.
Fashion is a funny world. When we find ourselves in these ultra-glamorous spaces, rubbing shoulders with the glitterati, it’s easy to forget what brought us all here to begin with. The sentiment of this collection was one of reverence and a celebration for the play of creativity that sometimes gets lost on us.
This article originally appeared on Grazia International