In a letter shared before the show, Balenciaga Creative Director Demna Gvasalia wrote: "Working on this show this week was so incredibly hard for me. Because in a time like this, fashion loses its relevance and its actual right to exist. Fashion week feels like some kind of an absurdity. I thought for a moment about cancelling the show... but then I realised that cancelling the show would mean giving in." Referring to the ongoing crises facing Ukraine and the world, Gvasalia reflected on fleeing his home country during similar circumstances. "I became a forever refugee. Forever, because that's something that stays in you. The fear, the desperation, the realisation that no-one wants you... I also realised what really matters in life...like life itself and human love and compassion."
To present Balenciaga Autumn/Winter 2022, Gvasalia staged a sartorial snowstorm with models braving an artificial blizzard - the creative director's simulation of a snow globe. Driving forward in relentless wind, models showcased Balenciaga's signature bold silhouettes - think oversized jackets, trousers and totes - alongside skin-tight jumpsuits and asymmetric dresses in an all-black collection, save for two flashes of colour debuting at the very end: yellow and blue.
"This show needs no explanation. It is a dedication to fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace," he concludes. Rewatch the show
