BALENCIAGA Evening News: Spring/Summer 2020

People who have the power to reshape the society in which they live. Ordinary people we meet every day at the bar, at the metro stop, or while we do slalom on the sidewalks so as not to arrive late for work. Here are the faces of the Spring / Summer 2020 fashion show of a brand that once again emerges from the crowd.

Balenciaga brings each of us on the catwalk. Thus we find ourselves in the imperfect, asymmetrical and not at all harmonious faces of proud workers of all ethnicities, sizes and stature. “No designer is able to slip into people’s skin like Demna Gvasalia does,” writes Cathy Horyn in one of her now rare, but always sharp, reviews.

Looking reality in the face and giving back everything you see, breathe and feel in the attitude of a dress-code. Here is the hallmark of a brand that once again challenges social conventions and the canons of stereotyped traditional beauty. I’ve always wondered what we think is beautiful and why …

In trying to answer myself, I came to the conclusion that beauty is at the same time interesting, something not to be overlooked. Something different than usual and that won’t bore us. So then beauty is perhaps diversity.

Balenciaga once again manages to bring social issues to the catwalk in an original and different way. Climate change and social inequality have now become repeated mantras like a boring chant without meaning.

Here we find ourselves catapulted into the mass consciousness, that of the workers, and the label that gives them back society. In this catwalk it is as if people peeled off this label and became more aware of what they are regardless of the dress they are wearing … These concepts are interpreted by four essences: antiseptic, blood, money and petrol, released during the parade from the ceiling and behind the curtains.

Eveneing News Balenciaga says: men must take back their world. Take back their power once and for all and understand how this can change things.

Demna Gvasalia will take care of giving us back the power to do and be what we most desire. There is no model that is not proud and confident, not only of the clothes he wears, but above all of the person he is. This is perhaps the most striking aspect of this collection: transforming imperfection, diversity into what makes us unique and powerful.

The sharp and decisive cuts, of what appears to be in all respects a workwear, restore power to the wearer, regardless of the type of work done. The watchword is Power dressing! A power that clearly emerges even from a face made up and proud to be what it is.

We have always been used to feeling uncomfortable about our shortcomings, to hide them by trying to improve them at all costs. On the Balenciaga catwalk the “defect” is shown proudly and we also feel a little stupid in our makeup masks and in a physical form that pretends an unattainable perfection.

In short, the concept of beauty also becomes part of the narrative development of the show. And once again Balenciaga does it in its own way. Together with the clothes, the expression of the face wearing them becomes angular and decisive. The faces of the models, rigorously made up, showed exasperated, emphasized features, obtained with the application of cinematographic prostheses on the cheekbones and lips.

It is Demna Gvasalia‘s way of winking at all those women (and even men) who don’t know the limits of plastic surgery. A way, in my opinion, to put back in its place all those interventions that want to mask reality.

Balenciaga’s latest collection is therefore a way to emphasize the concept of a democratic fashion, where make-up is not important to listen to. A place that celebrates different types of beauties, unique and peculiar that have a lot to tell and teach.

Discover also the diversity of ORGVSM! And finally feel free to be what you want.