For Luxury label, Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2019 collection, fans were treated to a shockingly unexpected presentation from the label currently recognized looks such as its towering sneakers and unorthodox designs. Balenciaga once again subverts expectations with an oddly accessible range of street-friendly tailoring, knitwear and statement coats.
The brand’s creative director Demna Gvasalia spoke out recently against the general misconception, saying “I don’t usually joke when I make fashion. I’m really serious about making clothing. … I’m not part of this ugly fashion. I never liked ugly stuff really.” Fall/Winter 2019 is a realization of this bold claims, with an emphasis on silhouette over eye-catching graphics. Gone are the triple-layered jeans and massive ’90s-inspired tees of Spring/Summer 2018, replaced by belted wool trench coats, cropped trousers and slouchy sweaters. Gvasalia hasn’t refuted his quirky inclinations, of course — there’s a wide array of washed dad jeans, shirts with half-removed sleeves, billowing track pants and those tiny sunglasses. However, the brand’s focus has shifted to proportion play.
The famed Triple-S sneaker is nowhere to be found on the runway, but its presence is felt by way of the dramatic silhouettes informed by the outerwear. Coats, bomber jackets, dresses and blazers all boast enormous, unmissable shoulders, seemingly padded more than linebacker jerseys. These beefy cuts grant the looks an imposing, wide silhouette, shifting the weight from the feet to the torso. There are some other head-turners for those seeking less adventurous styling — like checkerboard-printed jeans, flask-style leather bags and boxy “BALENCIAGA PARIS”-branded tees — but the chunky shoulders bring the most drama to the comparatively understated presentation, demonstrating how Gvasalia’s skill at effortlessly turning otherwise-conventional fashion on its head. Tell us what you think in the comments below.
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